Although the Washington Convention Center seemed resolutely untouched, the room was abuzz with electricity at this year's AEC show. Architects, engineers, techies and late-blooming geeks crowded around exhibitors, trying to catch on the latest trends in digital technology, or simply trying to catch on. I particularly admired Bentley's new Viecon system, designed by an architect, for the clarity and apparent simplicity of its graphics and organization.
Architects make good designers, whether of buildings or of digital systems.
I spent a good bit of time on my first day visiting purveyors of extranet systems, those virtual meeting places in cyberspace that allow team members to gather from all over the world to do their work and converse. It will be a bit of an adventure to see who makes it down the long road to success. Best of luck. Technology and visitor interest at the AEC show tends to gravitate to the large software companies, which is the reason most people come. But think about the other folks.