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?
TAD: The Architect’s Desktop
Of the three axis of representation required for the open source movement; the main one — the one that represents architecture issues — is now quite mature and well developed in the form of a software called TAD Designer Lite. The term Lite is used because currently some of the advanced graphic entities such as meshes, breps are not handled. However the concepts are fully tested and working. With sufficient programming resources, TAD will incorporate advanced breps, meshes, etc.
The entire Desktop is currently being written as a web-enabled knowledge operating system which will handle all the issues dealing with the other two axis (People and Resources)
The following list enumerates what has been achieved so far:
- TeamTAD website has been setup. It is meant to train people on TAD (to begin with). It is a collaborative training website where interested parties can register themselves, participate in discussion forums and wikis, etc.
- Over 130 people have registered at TeamTAD.
- TAD was the core software the was used in two research projects pertaining to determination of heat energy in buildings. A simulator (TADSIM) was developed using TAD along with a heat-engine developed by Dr. J.K.Nayak, head of the Solar Energy Centre, IIT Bombay. The researches were carried out under the aegis of the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, India. A paper on the TADSIM project is now available at Amazon
- A former student of Sabu Francis; Mr. Kartikeya Date, who is persuing his post-graduate studies in Phoenix, USA is now validating this representation system as part of his post-graduate thesis.
- Sabu Francis’ company website contains the latest download of TAD Designer Lite, the designing component of TAD that is currently at version 5.6.
- There have been many collaborators and testers since 1989. A list of these are available.
- As the objective of this project is more important than any particular “software” that this project uses, the framework currently setup at www.teamtad.com is agnostic to any kind of software that could be considered. Though currently ony TAD is present at that website, it does not construe that other systems cannot be used.
How to join the project?
Mr. Sabu Francis is trying to promote an open source system at TeamTAD, a special website meant for this activity. On that website, there is a let the best man win attitude. Though currently TAD is the system that has been placed for the Open Source Movement in Architecture, that website is receptive for any other system that others could be proposing. The steps required to join the project are as follows:
- Register at TeamTAD website.
- Enrol for the appropriate course (in our case, TAD Designer Lite).
- Download TAD Designer Lite setup program from the homepage of this project.
- Install it and run the tool. Your registration at TeamTAD would be asked.
- TAD would check this registration approximately once a month. Your computer must be connected directly to the Internet during that period.
- Currently, due to lack of financial resources, much of the documentation required is missing. However, the readme.txt file (accessible from the Help menu) will set you on the right direction on how to get going.