PARAMA

After reading this article, I did not fully understand the concept of a parametric model. To further my understanding of this topic I went to this website, http://www.ivcc.edu/perez/Parametric%20modeling.htm, to get a clearer definition of the term: parametric modeling.

"Parametric Modeling is an approach to CAD that leaves the traditional 2 dimensional approach. Parametric modeling represents a different approach to CAD compared to 2D drafting. " (www.ivcc.edu)

In this program, the object is usually sketched and then automatically transformed into a 3 dimensional object. In AutoCAD, if you changed the object you were working with, all of the dimensions would change with it. However, when working with Parametric Modeling, the user just has to change the dimensions, and the program will change the object for you. Thus allowing for more accurate and faster results. This program can also enhance the design intent of your sketch. For example, the program can make elements parallel, perpendicular, tangent, coincident, horizontal, or vertical. (www.ivcc.edu)

After reading what the basic idea of parametric modeling was, I then went back and re-read the article to see if I could better understand what PARAMA is.

PARAMA is a design tool that is coming out that is a "language-based parametric modeler for describing and developing shape and form from vague and poorly defined ideas" (Hechenberger). PARAMA is a software that takes underdeveloped sketches, and turns them into clear, developed, three dimensional objects. This software is mainly used in architecture, industrial design, spatial arts, and other design-related fields. The whole concept of PARAMA is to be able to quickly sketch your ideas down, and have the software program understand what you are doing. The sketches do not have to have specific characteristics- just undefined design aspects and boundaries. PARAMA also has it's own language, and if you do not understand it, it would be impossible for you to use PARAMA. Here are some examples of parametric models:

After reading the article over parametric models and understanding that concept, I definitely understood what PARAMA was, and how effective and useful this tool is.

Prince Charming...

I really enjoyed photoshop tennis. First of all, Roy and I came up with the rules we would be playing with. We decided to have 10- five minute rounds, and we did not look at the other opponent while they were playing. We started out with the picture of a frog and worked from there. We used tools such as the paint brush, color, stamps, and different filters, such as the plastic wrap and the mosaic tiles. While I am still very unexperienced with the program, this game really helped me learn how maneuver my way around photoshop, and learn some of the cool features the program has to offer.

CSS

Working with CSS is a lot harder than I thought it would be. When working with CSS, every command you type has to be exact, or it will not work. Although I enjoyed learning about it, I got very frustrated while trying to create my own page.

Digital Image Resolution

Before I read this article, I never really understood the full meaning of pixels and the importance pixels had to a picture. I used to just take pictures, and have them printed. If one came back blurry and unclear, I did not know what the cause was. I have a camera with 3.2 mega pixels, and sometimes the resolution would be obscured. This article helped me understand how pixels, or picture elements work.

First of all, a picture is made up of millions of pixels. When the pixels form an image like a mosaic, the image can then achieve photo quality. Once an image becomes a photo, there are two different forms of the digital image. The image itself can be saved as a file or as a physical image. Pixel count resolution is the number of pixels in a image file. Spatial resolution is the number of pixels, but these are the pixels in the image itself. This type of resolution does not exist until the file is opened and the image "physically exists". Even though these types of resolutions are different, both are needed to help determine the actual size of an image.

Once you begin using actual images, dpi and ppi become important. Dpi refers to dots per inch, whereas ppi refers to pixels per inch. Dpi is used when printing pictures out on a printer. Printers use ink dots per inch, instead of pixels. Ink jet printers can lay down different amounts of ink dots per inch, irrelevant of how many pixels they are reproducing per inch. Ppi is talking about the pixels on your computer screen. Scaling and resizing your image is also important. Scaling changes the print resolution to yield the desired physical dimensions with the pixel dimension present in the image file. Whereas, re-sampling changes the pixel dimensions of the image to yield the desired physical dimensions at a given output resolution. It does not matter how many times you change the ppi or the dpi, because the only thing that will change the size of your image is the spatial and the pixel count resolution. Resolution also plays an important role when printing a photo. For the best quality photograph, you generally want to print your picture at 200 to 300 ppi.

This article helped me understand some of the technical terms such as dpi, ppi, and pixels. By reading this, I now have a better understanding of how an image is created, and how to get top quality prints.

What is Revit?

For the past several years, architectural firms have used the program Computer Aided Design, or CAD. CAD aides architects and engineers with drafting or designing 2D drafting systems to 3D solid and surface models. While CAD has been extremely beneficial, it has its drawbacks. Not only is it very tedious and time consuming, but CAD does not except changes made in the designs very well. Now, Autodesk has come out with a brand new software: Revit.

Revit is a new and improved form of AutoCAD. It is coined after the phrase "revise it," and is an affordable and efficient software application created specifically for architectural designers. Revit does not focus on drafting software, like AutoCAD does, but instead focuses on actual drafting components. Revit also excepts changes easily. For example, if a designer places so many windows on a wall at a certain distance, and realizes that the wall is too short, the designer can then expand the wall, and Revit will automatically make the windows fit accordingly. If the designer had been using AutoCAD, he would have had to go and change all of the windows separately. Revit also allows the designer to see new changes in several different forms, such as 2D, 3D, and different elevations. Another new feature of Revit, is that Revit can estimate the cost of the building being designed. No longer will architects have to take the time to figure out how much the materials and square footage will cost- but Revit will do it for them.

Another important quality of Revit, is that it is here to stay. Many architecture firms are skeptical about using this new program, because they already have and know how to use AutoCad, but in reality, Revit is so much more practical. Revit allows designers to create a model and then send out pieces of this project to different firms and co-workers, which is very beneficial when several firms are working on the same project. AutoDesk provides help resources so that firms are able to adjust to the new technology. Overall, Revit is easy to use, saves time, and is very practical compared to AutoCAD.

RSS

An RSS is a function that allows you to quickly find out if a site has been updated with new content. Once information is in RSS format, an RSS- aware program can check the feed for changes and react to the changes. If it has been put into RSS format, you can then see the new content. This tool is very helpful to someone who spends a lot of time reading blogs or getting podcasts. However, there are some problems with the RSS. There are several versions of RSS, and as a result, you may not be able to get certain news feeds due to incapability. However, the RSS is still a very powerful and useful tool. I would be interested in using RSS.

I chose to use blogger.com because I have previously used blogger.com and I really liked it. Blogger.com is easy to use, has many different layouts, and it is free of charge. Out of all the other choices that I researched, blogger.com seemed the best blog to choose.