SLOWER, STEEPER LEARNING CURVE WITH INCREASED COMPUTER ASSISTANCE IN CONSTRUCTION
As computer-related tools have become common in building construction, their complexity, and therefore the difficulty of learning them, seems to have increased along with their power. This section will discuss my professional observations of this problem, the connection to the computer industry’s self-assessment, and the relationship between the two.
My Experience with Learning the New Computer Tools in Construction
In the first three seminars of our Computers and You class, we talked about computer assisted design and ethics and also the use of CAD with Excel spreadsheets. First, we were introduced to some knowledge of CAD and some of its commands.
We looked at making lines with measurements and offsetting our work with the offset command. Then, we looked at making a list of measurements of our drawing and installing a list of measurements on a spreadsheet with the Excel program. All of this was very interesting, although I have much of difficulty understanding the whole process of mixing lines and drawing with formulas and lists of numbers.
The Professional World’s Response to the Challenges in Learning Computer-Assistance Tools and Skills
Although AutoCAD is a very good advanced program, there are rules to be followed and respected; for example ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct [2]. ACM stands for the Association for Computing Machinery, and their set of codes, principles and guidelines were adopted by the ACM council on October 16th, 1992 [2].
It is important, when programs like AutoCAD are made to follow all the rules, not to step over other people’s work or steal ideas. It is the respect of the first inventor of programs that makes any changes good or better. Professionals have responsibilities and organizational leadership guidlines to follow in compliance with the codes.
Computerization Seems to Threaten to Leave Everyone Behind
Why doesn’t the future need us [3]? The future doesn’t need us supposedly because everything is now being done on computers or computer programs. “[Robots], engineered organisms, and nanobots share a dangerous amplifying factor” [3].
Where is all this technology taking us? For me, it is hard to understand because I still think that hand drafted drawings were excellent to follow or make. Maybe I’m old fashioned but that is OK; I know that some day I will become familiar with the new technology.