Suggested computers for High School use

[hstechteacher]

Hello all,

I could use some help and suggestions.

We are upgrading our computers and Vector works software this year.

here is a little background on our use:

- Computers have to last us at least 5 years until next upgrade

- going from 11.5 to 2008

- we teach 4 years worth of Architecture classes

- in 2nd and 3rd year students design an entire house ie, site plan,2 floors, furniture, siding, roofing, etc. the whole works with rendering.

- looking to start a theater class that uses "Spotlight" for lighting applications

-computers are all networked to a single server

so what it comes down to, is will an I Mac handle the work load?

we are running 5 year old G4s with vector 11.5- changing views in a rendered view of these house takes up to 3-4 minutes some times.

what do you think?

thanks for the help in advance

Craig

[brudgers]

In my opinion, an imac won't handle the load for five years.

Indeed no computer will...at least not as far as design software goes.

The expectation of what a computer should be able to do changes every year.

Five years ago, changing rendered views of a house would still have consumed 3-4 minutes.

The only difference would have been that the user would have been amazed at the speed.

I have observed that it is not uncommon for Apple to push soon to be obsolete inventory through the education channel...the Apple II GS comes to mind and a lab full of G4's purchased in 2003 provides a bit more evidence.

With a single dual core processor, the current imac is reaching the end of it's shelf life...particularly in light of the Snow Leopard and the emphasis on better support for parallel CPU operations.

[hstechteacher]

the IT guys are looking at the 24" 2.8ghz Imac with a 256mb video card. I was worried about the video card not being 512. ????

[brudgers]

256mb is enough for vectorworks 2008, and the graphics card is only relevent for rendering in OpenGL mode using the Renderworks add-in.

According to NNA's knowledge base, Nvidia based graphics (8800GS) cards are better supported on Vectorworks than those from ATI...but again only for opengl rendering.

OpenGL tends to trade speed for accuracy.

For other rendering modes (radiosity, artistic, renderworks, etc) more processor cores is the key to speed...and again this is where the imac is really limited by having only two cores and no upgrade path.

[Jodyb17]

I think its great that a high school is offering architectural classes.

This is off topic, but have you considered the value of teaching Vworks? Especially on Macs?

Ive seen a recent survey that showed only 1% of professional (architectural)firms use Macs. Thats less than the 2% that don't use computers at all.

Vworks is also used relatively rarely in our field. Don't take my word for it, do a job search and count how many firms require knowledge of VW.

I think your students would be better off learning more mainstream programs, or better yet a variety of programs.

Edited June 26, 2008 by Jodyb17

[islandmon]

Ive seen a recent survey that showed only 1% of professional (architectural)firms use Macs. Thats less than the 2% that don't use computers at all.

Vworks is also used relatively rarely in our field. Don't take my word for it, do a job search and count how many firms require knowledge of VW.

What "recent survey" ?

Recalling Steve Job's famous market share comments when he agreed to return to Apple Computer.

Something to the effect that... 'everybody makes such a big deal that Apple only has 4% of the market ... well...

Mercedes Benz only has 4% of the market and nobody questions their survivability '.

Then, of course, Jobs & Apple Inc. went on to change the world as we know it.

And whatever happened to the much vaunted Win95 with it's dominant crushing market share ...

or Internet Explorer which claimed 98% share while driving out all competition ?

Would you have advised teachers to avoid exposing students to UNIX, LINUX, and OSX ?

Did all the developers, all the teachers, and all the students of this world just roll-over and play dead?

After thinking about your well intentioned but misguided statement:

I think your students would be better off learning more mainstream programs, or better yet a variety of programs

As a longtime User, educator, and evangelist , I am personally offended by your remarks.

Furthermore... you are a PowerUser and should know better than to quote phantom industry statistics to prompt a limited world view.

Last I heard there were over 500,000 registered VW Users and the number is growing.

Moreover, many of those new student Users depend on the qualified expertise and knowledge provided by this forum.

As do the Teachers of Vectorworks.

Legitimate questions... deserve legitimate answers.