FAQ or Tech Note for Computer Hardware

[Kevin]

There is a common question that most all of us have. We want fast performance with Vectorworks and the associated rendering programs. Most of us are designers who want to design and not spend time on computer issues.

The performance of Vectorworks is directly tied to the computers that we use. All of us are faced daily with the question of should I upgrade. But the real question is what should I upgrade. Should I get a better video card? Will more memory serve me better? Is a faster processor what I really need? Why would I want two or more processors and will that help?

The software engineers at NNA have these answers. They intimately know what upgrade will benefit various functions and operations. What we as users need are the answers from NNA to those very questions.

This board needs a FAQ or Tech Note section that tells us those answers. As an example, some people are keenly interested in rendering speed. They will want to know if they should buy more memory or get a faster video card, etc.

I am facing this question every day. I am not happy with VW11. It is SLOW! What I need is a clear answer to where should I spend my money to fix this problem. I am not willing to spend $2,500 on a new computer on the HOPE that it will fix the speed issue.

This is not asking for endorsements. It is not a platform issue. It is an education issue. We as users need to be educated on what computer components affect our use of Vectorworks.This is a symbiosis. Our experience with, and our satisfaction of Vectorworks is directly tied to the computer components that we use.

[Petri]

Hear, hear! It is all too easy to say 'buy the fastest computer available', but in the real world, few people are able or willing to buy new hardware every few months.

[matto]

Maybe NNA could team up with one of the resources websites like vectordepot, and release the benchmarking VectorScripts they mention in the article at www.architosh.com.

That way we as a user base could test our own systems and get someone to collect the results to answer these sorts of questions. It would be much easier for us as a diverse user base to test the variety of systems needed to produce good results.

Also we could then use the script to test system upgrades before office wide upgrades and the like.

Also new system would quickly show up the the benchmarks.

[propstuff]

quote:

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Originally posted by iboymatt:

Maybe NNA could team up with one of the resources websites like vectordepot, and release the benchmarking VectorScripts they mention in the article at

www.architosh.com.

---

From that article:

"we use a number of files with scripts that write out timing results to text files. They are very process dependent right now to get repeatable results (making sure comparable screen settings are used, no background apps, etc.) and thus are not particularly use friendly.

AFR.So this isn't something VectorWorks users can do at home on their own?

Sean: Correct."

N.

[ 10-05-2004, 05:27 AM: Message edited by: propstuff ]

[Kevin]

The point of my request is not so much to do speed comparisons or benchmark tests. While those can be valuable, my request is more fundamental.

Many of us do no know of what value various components play in the performance of Vectorworks and Renderworks. What I am asking for is a reference section at the top of this Board that anyone can go to for reference.

For example: I think all of us know that more memory is better. But I doubt many of us know how more memory will affect the performance of VW and RW. A G5 will hold 8 gig of RAM!! Do I need 8 gig? Is there a point where more RAM is wasted?

If I have $300 laying around to buy something, what should I buy? Should I invest in memory or a new video card? If I do not know what these items do, then how can I decide.

I am asking for a reference section that would list the various components and then tell us lay-people what those components do relative to VW and RW.

This information has been addressed from time to time on this board. The problem is finding it. I think Andrew Bell once wrote a little on what video cards do and what impact dual processors have, but I cannot find it using the search function of this board.

Imagine someone ordering a new G5. There are three processor speeds, various video card options, the capacity for 8 gig of RAM. With the requested reference, one could better make an informed decision on how to choose that new computer. A configuration for 2D drafting may have different requirements than a configuration for 3D rendering.