Un-Interoperable

I’ve experienced first-hand the challenges with interoperability.  In a course involving geographic information systems I worked on a group project that that required us to figure out the best way to model a building based on given LiDAR data given.  At the beginning of the project we thought we would fly through, figure out what the easiest modeling program was, and then spend most of our time modeling.  However, that was far from the case.  We spent most of our time converting files into formats that the various programs could use.  Luckily the GIS software that was available to us was able to convert the LiDAR into a DWG but that took time and only worked half of the time.  AutoCAD was able to bring the data in but brought it in as a block so the data couldn’t be manipulated.  It was concluded that Revit was the easiest program to use.  Once the data was imported it was used as a template to model the buildings.  This, however, wasn’t a perfect science either.  Much like AutoCAD the software brought the data in as a block and so the data could not be manipulated.  Also, not only was it in block form, it was in a block 4 times the actual size of the building.  There were many other complications but this is just to name a few. 

To me (not being that computer savvy) I believed that compatibility between programs should be as simple as going to a hardware store and picking up a ¾” nut that fits any ¾” bolt.  That’s not really the case, however.  After reading I understand that there is a lot of effort being put into a standard but there is so much work that has yet to be done. 

The business aspect of the reading, in which David discusses as well, intrigued me.  The fact that some companies only make their programs interoperable with each other really frustrates me.  I understand their reasoning, the fact that they are trying to isolate the market and get customers to use their product.  Although, do they not understand that they are preventing something much greater.  They are preventing the engineering firms from being universal, forcing companies to spend their money on more software, slowing down projects, and ultimately preventing progress.  However, completely going back on what I just said, if one company would handle everything it would make the communication much easier.  But that is far-fetched, there is always going to be a competitor and therefore, file exchange needs to be fast and efficient.  Dave also points out a study by NIST where $10.6 billion is spent with challenges involving interoperability.  This number disgusts me; if everything was interoperable this money could be put towards something much greater.   

PS Did anybody else find it remotely funny that Figure 3-3 talking about file exchange they used a floppy disk.