David Backup runs every night onto multiple AIT tapes using Dantz Retrospect. Currently we're backing up about 150 GB per week from our primary file storage system, a LaCie TX 1200 RAID. The TX 1200 is perfect for us as we continue to grow. Its speed and expandability is unmatched in high-end hardware RAID systems built with the Mac in mind.

AFR Have you always been a Mac firm?

Jim We used to have PC's years ago when computers were first entering the office environment.

Dom When I started in 1996 there was an Autocad program used by the Interior group. As the office grew, we made a decision that graphically the Macs gave us the tools we needed to best produce and represent our work, it is easy to learn and less expansive than Autocad on PCs, and it has served us well over the years.

AFR Was there pressure back in 96' and 97', in Apple's darkest hours, to switch over to PC's?

Jim There was some serious discussion...

David Yes, we were talking about it a lot.

Dom From a business perspective, the cost of the hardware, the training time to learn a new program, switching systems did not make much sense. Plus we were very effective on the Mac.

AFR So your decision to stick with the Mac back in 97' was based not only on prohibitive switching cost but some other things. What were those things?

Jim, Graphics...

David, Graphics...yes, graphics.

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David When it comes to the CAD stations we really try to have everyone on a G4 now with a few on G3's, but for the most part everyone has a generous amount of RAM.

We find that the more high-powered a workstation a person has, the more work they do or the more they push the envelope with their work.

Since we work in teams, we really try to make sure the team members are equal in terms of their computers. As an example, the most advanced user in a team may have a 500MHz G4, while the newest member or the least advanced CAD user may have something a little less but still powerful.

You know they are working on the same files, so everyone needs to have similar workstations. I think we are doing a better job now of balancing this.

AFR It's always tough trying to keep things equitable.

David Especially when you are growing so fast and you keep getting all these new machines.

Jim One year I got three new machines handed down to me, each more powerful than the first.

David In the past we just had two people doing 3D modeling, so they always got the newest, most powerful machines because they needed it. For Mark [editor's note: Mark is their dedicated 3D person] he has a second G4 so he can render on one while he models on the other.

At the moment, the IT budget allows us to meet demand with new employees and other major purchases. While employee hiring is slowing down and major purchases being fulfilled, the budget will allow us to make some special purchases for things we've wanted.

AFR What has been the office's thought been about the transition to OS X?

David Mac OS X has only been discussed in IT. It is something we are interested in and definitely going to go with. When it comes to upgrades, there are some programs that we do right away, and other where we wait.

For example, with VectorWorks, we've always waited about six months. It's our most used program, so we usually try to wait until all the bugs get worked out before we initiate a full upgrade. With OS X, it's not ready yet in terms of the software that is available.

Jim At that time (1997) VectorWorks [then known as MiniCAD] was a much better sketching tool than any other architectural CAD product out there. It was so easy to use and to come up with many options quickly, far better than what Autocad could do.

AFR How happy are you with Apple and the tools that you are getting for the Mac these days? Can you speak to that?

David I couldn't be happier. I think the machines they are putting out now are pretty amazing. I am looking forward to Mac OS X and the abilities we are going to have there...and a more stable system and a lot of new software to play with.

Apple has done a pretty good job over the last few years -- not just with the style thing but keeping up with PC's in terms of capabilities, and often outdoing PC's in many areas.

AFR Are there any discussions about whether these machines are fast enough...you know with the megahertz disparity and people not understanding how microprocessor chips really work?

Jim It comes up often.

Dom There are discussions almost daily. We have more software available and therefore are able to generate larger, more complex images. Some of our projects are larger than ever before...the files during the CD phase can be extremely large.

David We actually just started a program this year, it's a benefit, where employees get money from the firm toward the purchase of a computer for home and one of the questions I get most often is, "why buy a 500MHz Mac when I can get a 1.2 GHz PC for the same price?"

That's the only time I really hear that. And when people really understand how to compare Macs versus PC's then we don't have that issue. When people actually work on Macs they come to learn that Macs are really fast, regardless of the 'megahertz myth'.

AFR And how do you equalize performance across such a large office?

Continued top right column - >

We need VectorWorks up and running on it, we need Microsoft Office -- which will be done in the Fall -- and we need all of our core graphics programs, Adobe's products and FileMaker Pro, which will be ready soon. We need all of those before we can make the switch.

Hopefully these will all be ready by end of 2001. Then in the summer of 2002 we may start to make the switch.

[Editor's note: Since our June interview, FileMaker Pro and MS Office for Mac now supports Mac OS X, as well as some Adobe software. VectorWorks, we were told, would be ready in the late 2001 time-frame.]

AFR What about the Apple machines that might be coming out with OS X pre-installed? How will you deal with that?

David A lot of machines already have OS X on them, but we keep everyone booting into [Mac OS] 9.1. We try to keep an identical set of software applications on every computer. Software and upgrades are installed over the network from a server in our IT area every so often, keeping people up to date with the latest.

AFR OK, what about wireless networking. That's cutting edge.

David We're doing wireless already. We have one Airport base station on the sixth floor and we are building in wireless on the fourth floor—our new office space there—with enough Airport Stations to get full coverage. It's really only for IT and an occasional person who likes to move around to breakout areas with a laptop. Instead of providing additional fixed network ports for them, we can more cheaply give them network access via wireless.

We actually have about four people who have purchased Airport cards for their own personal home laptops so they can access the network and take files home. All future laptops will have Airport built in. I like to take my laptop to a breakout area, the server room or into a meeting and still access the entire network wirelessly. It's much more convenient. Less cabling is always good.

AFR OK. Well, that just about wraps it up. This has been an educational discussion and I'm sure readers will agree also. And you have provided a very nice list of tools on the first page. Thank you. Why don't you guys show me some of your work!

David, Jim, and Dom. Thank!...that would be great.

That ends our interview and our third installment of the Architosh Firm Profile series. Please feel free to view the QuickTime VR's and animated movie below. If you are interested in being featured in a Firm Profile yourself please email us.