11 PM Rants of a Model Coordinator

As we come into another major project deadline, it is becoming time for another software rant. With a sensitivity towards market share (yes, I know 90% of all work is less than $40 million in project costs in the US), it is increasingly frustrating that software vendors are still basing their database management on small file management. 

• Frustrating because this is not the future of project delivery.

• Frustrating because we are wasting ridiculous amounts of time translating files and duplicating efforts.

• Frustrating because huge files take 5-10 minutes to load, and every time we save back to the central database. (We shall not mention the quite-not-so-intuitive saving process, either)

• Frustrating because the rest of my team can't use the same platform, or same model w/o translation.
  

This is even more frustrating because it can be an easy fix - approach the model from a server standpoint, stream to the desktop, and take a holistic look at the architectural process from conception to fabrication. 

Don't get me wrong - moving the file to a central model is definitely a move in the right direction. But the pain of trying this on a L/XL/XXL project brings to light how robust the system needs to be, as well as the needs of a full ecosystem of tools. This is like Twitter w/o Tweetdeck, Twitpic, Summize, etc.; a significant piece of the whole, but not the pie itself. 

Hopefully it just won't be another 10 years til we get the full dessert?