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Latest version of AutoCAD incorporates intelligent objects and Internet tools Amid the 'dot-com' fever gripping the A/E/C universe, one of the industry's giants has been working at a steady pace [...]

Is anybody ready for online procurement? At a recent Stanford University conference called 'E-commerce in the Construction Industry' (www.stanford.edu/group/CIFE/ecommerce.summit.html), some stunning facts were revealed on the state of the industry. [...]

It has become tradition for Autodesk to announce a new version of AutoCAD and its sidekick Autodesk Architectural Desktop at its annual winter conference and then release the products the [...]

Most firms organize their projects and departments in the same way, using Microsoft Windows-based folders and files on computers and servers and some kind of name convention to index and [...]

Most of us have been hit in some way by the flood of viruses that have swept the computing community during the past few months. For the most part, these [...]

Today's design and construction firms are faced with the problem of working with different applications and services for different projects. Sometimes the owner has standardized on Meridian's Prolog, for example, [...]

When I learned late last year that Autodesk was releasing yet another version of its flagship product, AutoCAD 2005, along with all of the vertical applications, my initial reaction was, [...]

Handheld devices, such as palm pilots, pocket PCs, digital cameras, and smart phones, are making the construction industry more portable by enabling data to be accessed from outside the office. [...]

Every building owner and operator will agree that the most important issue facing them today is the life safety of their building's occupants, be they full-time employees or visitors. Individual [...]

It's safe to say that architecture has embraced digital design technology. From the first time designers put down the pencil and start ed clicking the mouse to create 2-D CAD [...]

The new Tablet PC finally launched last month to major fanfare at a Broadway theater. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates brought in actor Rob Lowe, who told how he uses his [...]

AutoCAD 2000 features innovative upgrades and a Windows-like interface With the release of AutoCAD 2000, Autodesk continues to improve upon its flagship product. Although a welcome upgrade, I was quite [...]

Pitfalls to watch for when implementing project Web sites Only a few years ago project Web sites seemed somewhat futuristic. Since then, a number of new companies have entered the [...]

Autodesk announces a product that combines the basic tools of Release 14 with specific architectural features It's time for my annual pilgrimage to the A/E/C Systems show, which is being [...]

Web authoring and publishing tools in MicroStation SE enhance communication for project team members With the push toward collaborative work over the Internet, more and more software developers are incorporating [...]

The AEC industry is about to explode with Internet-based solutions for building design and construction. In June at the A/E/C SYSTEMS '96 show, a number of companies announced technologies that [...]

Workgroup computing was a topic of major interest at a recent national meeting of information technology managers from large A/E firms. And while the possibilities for higher productivity through workgroup [...]

Don't let all the press coverage and cliches fool you -- the Internet is big news and it will have a great impact on the way we work in the [...]

Microsoft's Windows `95 operating system began shipping on Aug. 24 amidst plenty of media hype. But what potential does it offer for the construction industry and what changes will it [...]

Focuses on design and construction software. Management of large and complex projects; Scheduling systems; Construction administration; Management system for owners.

Reports on the enhancements to the Autodesk Architectural Desktop (ADT) 2006, an Auto-CAD-based application that allows architects to design in 3-D. Features of ADT; Significant enhancements to ADT 2006; Advantages and shortcomings of ADT 2006.

Features the Smart Board interactive whiteboard developed by Calgary, Alberta-based Smart Technologies for the construction industry. Function of the software included in the system; Details of the use of the Smart Board by the American Institute of Architects; List of whiteboard vendors.

Focuses on the application of technology approach through management process in construction process. Formulation of a campus design; Management of an airport construction; Use of database-driven technologies.

Focuses on the advantage of internet to many firms that enables them to consolidate their management processes using both intranet and extranet systems. Cheaper method of centralization of databases in a company; Benefits of centralization of all the databases; Modules of intranet/extranet; Development of construction management intranet/extranet by Turner Construction Co.

Focuses on the A/E/C Systems Show 2001 in Chicago, Illinois. Emergence of wireless communications technology; Exhibitions of wireless tools; Return of the computer-aided design solutions by Autodesk Inc.

Presents several common-sense guidelines to help architectural/engineering/construction companies assess and improve their technology systems and staff. Utilization of the downtime to reorganize a firm's structure; Development of an action plan; Importance of keeping information technology staff; Replacement of communications systems.

Reports on the preparations for the A/E/C Systems 2000 conference focusing on issues affecting the architecture, engineering and construction business. Role of the Internet in project development and construction-related commerce; Lineup of activities; Exhibitors tapped to join the conference.

Observes the emergence of project Web site technology in the construction industry as shown in the nature of most scheduled exhibitors expected at the A/E/C Systems 2000 event. Companies enabling architectural, engineering and construction firms to collaborate with project partners over the Internet; Important component to a successful project Web site performance.

Focuses on the integration of the enterprise resource planning (ERP) software by the architecture, engineering and construction industries in the United States. Benefits of the system; Utilization of the ERP system for information sharing; Impact of the system on industry investments.

Features PrimeContact, a Web-based service software for project management, from Primavera Systems Inc. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Details on the project collaboration and online commerce components of the Web-based service; Basis of service pricing on the cost of project constructions; Description of the progress-payment module.

Focuses on the offerings of online meeting service providers to construction firms in the United States. Range of broadband offerings; Pricing schemes; Future of the online meeting services sector.

Focuses on job safety information in the United States offered by the Web site, SafetyDirector.com. Documents on document safety regulations featured on the site; User-friendly feature of the site.

Features the computer software OnSite View designed to view design drawings on mobile devices for architects, engineers and construction and facilities managers. Compatibility with AutoCAD programs; Specifications and capabilities; User benefits.

Reports the importance of information technology in the construction industry in the United States. Advantages of computers in terms of high-speed access to information; Benefits of using shared devices and services; Common wiring for electrical, voice and data outlets; Significance of high-speed Internet access on the operations of the company.

Discusses the benefits for United States construction professionals of using digital cameras. Delivery of visual information instantly on the World Wide Web; Photography of early physical models of building projects; Technical specifications, accessories and software of current cameras.

Reports on the growing use for personal digital assistants (PDA) in the United States. Product features; Benefits of using the PDA; Development of PDA technology for the construction industry by Timberline Software Corp.

Discusses the features of the Web site buzzsaw.com. Offering of information related to the construction industry; Web applications for bidding, buying, construction administration and design collaboration.

Discusses the expected problems that the contingency plan of construction firms should address first in preparation for the Year 2000. Life safety problems; problems that will prevent the firm from conducting normal business operations.

Focuses on companies' utilization of intranets to create and circulate information. Similarity to an Internet site; Internal communications network; Required communication protocols; Economic justification for firm intranets. INSET: Intranet resources..

Reports on several Web-based products and services for construction companies that were presented at the 1999 A/E/C Systems Conference in Los Angeles, California. CADhelper software from PigeonHole; Active-Project software from Framework Technologies; ProjectBank and ProjectWise from Bentley Systems.

Explains how construction and design firms can avoid software piracy lawsuit. Questions that can help determine if a firm is at risk of inadvertent software piracy; Web sites that offer information on software piracy; Process of legalizing software.

Features the software system ProjectBank by Bentley Systems. Hub for indexing, storing and maintaining engineering project information; Culmination of software manufacturers' efforts to create engineering-based object technologies; Three primary ingredients; Features and capabilities.

Focuses on the provision of Web sites dedicated to construction projects in the United States. Use of the instant access and graphic information to develop project Web sites; Features and information offer in projects web sites; Lists of Web sites featuring development in the construction industry; Implication for the engineering profession.

Opinion. Looks at whether the Year 2000 computer crisis will affect the construction industry. Predictions of the problem; How organizations can assess their computer systems. INSET: Y2K Information on the Web.

Focuses on the International Alliance for Interoperability whose mission is to create standards and formats for CADD systems that facilitate sharing of intelligent information across programs and people. Diversity in the group's membership; Development of the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) to integrate the AEC/FM; Object specification of the IFC.

Discusses the internal workings of a network-based electronic mail system linked to the Internet. Main components of the system; Obstacles in developing the system; Costs of Internet services.

Discusses the use of electronic mail systems as a potential tool for communicating graphics as well as text. Background on the technology; Mechanism behind the technology; Benefits that electronic mail can deliver in the construction industry.

Discusses the benefits of Internet-based communication systems on architectural, engineering, and construction companies in the United States. Project efficiency; Reduction of fees; Workflow within a Virtual Project Team.

Looks at information on the major interest, workgroup computing, at a national meeting of information technology managers from large firms. What can be done with workgroup solutions; Importance of distinguishing between document management and drawing management systems; What TeamMate is capable of; Another approach to workgroup management; What is contained in a Notes screen; Comments from David Furth of Information Systems.