Slashdot Mirror
Architecture / Home Design Software?
shroudedmoon asks: "I'm looking for a solution to create a printable floor plan (line drawing) and 3D walkthrough of a house that I'm preparing to build. I've got a rough design on paper that I want to tweak on the screen, and then show to my architect/father so that he can create the finished and buildable blueprints. I've know there are consumer packages out there like 3D Home Architect from Broderbund, but I've heard that the graphics and navigation are less than spectacular. I also recall a Slashdot article, a couple of years ago, about the possibility of using the editor of one of the 3D shooters (Doom, maybe?) as an architectural tool, but I can't seem to locate it. Just curious if anyone out there has had any experience with anything similar, or which of the current 3D Shooters might have the best editor for something like this."
I originally responded to this using a pencil and paper. Each word written allowed me to reflect on what I was really trying to communicate as I manually wrote each letter. Using a keyboard could not have prompted me with the right questions of what to write next, not in the same way that a blank paper can. Sure there is spell check, but is that really the same as choosing words I already know how to spell. Truely, a keyboard with a backspace key can *never* be as useful a tool for any one trying to communicate with the written word. Writting with quills and ink bottles is more creative and the end result could never be achived by hardware and software. As a matter of fact, your should print this out in a script font and read it outdoors in the daylight in the same manner this was written.