Areas of Interest: Computers - Software Highlights

• The TRS-80, while hardware wise uneventful, was full of software events. The computer didn't have an operating system as we understand it in standard terms. Upon booting, and provided that no cartridges were inserted into the ROM port, the BASIC Interpreter screen greeted the user, who proceeded to either type code or load code from a cassette tape or floppy drive and then, entered the command "run". If you wanted to run another program, you had to load it, erasing the current program. I said the computer was full of events because it was here that I developed custom applications based on the college courses curriculum. Many of these applications served me latter on when doing some freelancing jobs as a structural design assistant. The programs I am most proud of are the hyper static frame solver, the isostatic, single span beam analyzer which included up to 3 type of loads (point force, point moment, trapezoid distributed load, which could be used to emulate 4 other types such as uniformly distributed loads, triangular loads, etc.) and a simple reinforced, rectangular concrete beams design.

• After transferring my programs from the Tandy-proprietary format system to the IBM standard, I proceeded with the next step which was to take advantage of the better graphics options of both the MS BASIC software and the IBM and IBM-compatible hardware. I expanded my beam analyzer program to show a shear and moment graph. I did it by using iteration algorithms dividing the beam's length into finite delta-increments. I also redesigned my concrete beam program to show a drawing of the cross section, from the initial estimates to the final design and then provide the option to export the section as an AutoCAD DXF file! Was I cooking or what? The final step was to switch from interpreted to compiled code for faster performance and protection from prying eyes. My compiler of choice was Borland's Turbo BASIC.

• At my first job I saw an add-on software for AutoCAD aimed specifically for the AEC professionals. The software basically automated the creation of architectural elements such as walls, doors, windows, etc by using AutoCAD's embedded language AutoLISP along with macro menu commands and an extensive library of symbols. The only trouble was that, while AutoCAD could handle any unit system, the AEC software was specifically designed for Imperial units and I needed metric units. Right there I decided I was going to learn AutoLISP along with all the customization modules available in AutoCAD! Several months later I debuted my own version of the AEC application which I graciously called ArchKit. It wasn't supposed to be available for commercial sale, but its popularity among the company's customer base forced me to made it so. Since LISP code was ran in interpreted mode, it was open source. I wanted it protected like the AEC software for Imperial units. After some research I found a couple of utilities called LISP encrypter and Kelvinator which allowed for the code to still run in interpreted mode while blocking the source from being revealed. Another AutoCAD add-on called AutoArchitect showed me great ideas to improve upon my original ArchKit. At this point, I was writing code out of necessity and not for the sake of write it; therefore, as soon as I was able to afford the purchase of add-on software for AutoCAD, I ended my "career" as a software developer.

• Starting in 1991, computing became purely a means to an end and therefore my whole philosophy changed.

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