TAD: The Architects Desktop

• Premise
• Why is it Important?
• What needs to be represented?
• How can it be represented?
• Why would it actually work?
• Who is behind this project?
• Where has this project reached?
• More questions?

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is this a software project?

There are several software being developed as part of this project. However, this project is not directly promoting software. It is for developing a system of practising architecture so that it is more accurate, socially responsible and the intention is clear to everyone — even after the decision makers are long gone. Though the term open source is used frequently here, it refers to architecture. Software used in this project is incidental.

• Are the software used in this project also open source?

Not all of them. The main software, TAD Designer lite is currently a freeware (NOT open source). The reason is mainly because it is developed using proprietory languages. Once it is ported to open source languages, then it would be made a open source software. Even then, the project could be using proprietory/commercial software as the need be.

• So if it does not really use open source software, then how can one have an open source movement in architecture?

Just the same way an open source developer may be buying some of his/her tools and some of those may even be proprietory (like the chair he/she sits on). This project can also be using commercial and/or proprietory software, etc. That does not mean that the data that the architects want to exchange cannot be opened out to each other.

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