Attendees: Stan Stinnet, Mario Guttman, Marla Ushijima
General discussion of cloud computing. Hardware requirements are greatly diminished, people can work anywhere, easier than VPN for people working remotely. Latency issues are noticeable but manageable, saving to central is MUCH faster on the cloud. Local cloud servers provide much broader bandwidth for speeds 10x faster than an internet connection and resolve latency issues for people working within the office.
Cloud computing offers an opportunity to eliminate high-end workstations; laptops could be the default hardware. Screen size is an issue; desk-top monitors work within the office but don't solve the issue for working remotely. Laptops with monitors large enough for comfortable modeling work are heavy and bulky.
Perkins + Will has a large portable monitor that gets wheeled around the office as needed. Much more convenient than a projector: easier to set up and doesn't require a dark room. Stan sometimes uses HOK's ACR rooms to access large screen real estate. Large HD TVs, though lower in resolution, offer a less-expensive option to large computer monitors.
Multiple monitors are helpful for viewing multiple windows and palettes, but individual windows spread over multiple monitors are disrupted by the monitor edges. A large screen requires less zoom-in/zoom-out and facilitates a bigger picture understanding of what you're working on.
