Patent ID: 8402392

Claim:
A computer implemented method for providing access to architectural documents comprising: (a) maintaining, on one or more servers, executing on a computer, accessible from the Internet, persistent multiple architectural documents of different media types; (b) transferring, to a tool palette of a workspace application executing in an Internet browser window on a display, from the one or more servers via the Internet, a set of two or more different basic architectural virtual design tools, wherein: (i) the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools have persistent properties; (ii) at least one of the basic architectural virtual design tools may be copied to create an additional basic architectural virtual design tool in the tool palette of the workspace application executing in the Internet browser window; (iii) the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools are utilized to perform operations to modify and work with the architectural documents in a virtual workspace displayed in the Internet browser window by the workspace application; (iv) each of the two or more basic architectural virtual design tools comprises a graphical icon resembling an architectural tool; and (v) a virtual functionality of the graphical icon resembles a physical functionality of the architectural tool; and (c) providing, via the workspace application, the virtual workspace in the Internet browser window for viewing, accessing, and modifying the architectural documents using the basic architectural virtual design tools.