Being a frustrated radiance user in a Microsoft operating system preferred
university, I have struck out. As part of my teaching load in the Faculty
and the Department of Architecture and Interior Architecture, I have
developed bootable PC CDROM containing Linux and Radiance 3.4.1 (patched).
This CDROM is distributed to undergraduate students taking my third year
Building Science unit in the Architecture and Interior Architecture courses.
The students are able to boot from CD in the Faculties computer laboratories
plus use the CD on home computers. There is zero software loaded on the
computers hard drive, in fact no hard drive is required + no need for
ancillary software eg AutoCAD to be loaded. The faculties computers do have
AutoCAD but would the students home computers?
This paper outlines the development of a bootable CDROM that contains a full
operating system plus all required software for the teaching of Radiance, a
sophisticated lighting simulation package. Lighting simulation programs are
vital tools for Architects and Interior Architects to visualise lighting
schemes for projects. The Radiance "package is a capable of producing
physically correct results and images that are indistinguishable from real
photographs" (Jacobs & Solomon 2002, pg 3) This combination of application,
operating system and CDROM allows students to gain experience, via a
realistic simulation of the physical reality of the building project without
needing to install new software and applications.
The CDROM method of delivery is in its second year, we had 80+ students
using it in 2002. In 2003 the numbers are currently 96 students. The
products of their submissions were equal or better than previous years using
installed partitions, etc. Comments from the tutor, indicate that the class
experienced less computer related problems than previous years.
I would be interested in comments on my project. There are many avenues yet
to be explored.
Regards
Terry Mc Minn
Faculty of Built Environment, Art and Design
Curtin University of Technology
GPO Box U 1987
Perth 6845
Western Australia
Email: [email protected]
CRICOS Provider Code: 00301J
Terry Mc Minn
Faculty of Built Environment, Art and Design
Curtin University of Technology
GPO Box U 1987
Perth 6845
Western Australia
Email: [email protected]
CRICOS Provider Code: 00301J
That sounds like a really great idea. I was and worked with students at the University of Kansas trying to help them learn Radiance. It seemed that half the semester and much of their frustration was spent working out the bugs in their home installations rather than learning the actual program!
Terry Mc Minn
Faculty of Built Environment, Art and Design
Curtin University of Technology
GPO Box U 1987
Perth 6845
Western Australia
Email: [email protected]
CRICOS Provider Code: 00301J
I am a research fellow at the Bartlett School of Architecture at UCL and have come across your post regarding the "Hard Drive-less Radiance for PC". I think it is a god send and I wanted to try it out over here. I have downloaded the iso image and burnt a disc. I am running into problems booting into the iso image because of missing user info: I have not found (or missed spotting) any documentation regarding the specific login info required. Is there a root password for the bootable cd or a set of standard users in the iso image?
Many Thanks for your help and for making this iso image available to the radiance community!
Best Regards,
Stefan Kueppers
MArch. Dip.Arch.
Research Fellow
Coordinator for LVRG (London Virtual Realities Group )
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1-19 Torrington Place - Gower Street -
London WC1E 6BT United Kingdom
+44 (0)20 7679 1811
Hello All,
The CDROM image for this "Hard Drive-less Radiance for PC" has now been
posted at http://puffin2.curtin.edu.au/restricted/mcminn/radiance-cdrom.shtml. This is
the current version in use by my students as of March 2003.
Please email any comments.
Regards
Terry Mc Minn
Faculty of Built Environment, Art and Design
Curtin University of Technology
GPO Box U 1987
Perth 6845
Western Australia
Email: [email protected]
CRICOS Provider Code: 00301J
hi terry and all,
i explored ur radiance on bootable CDROM , everthing was fine except, mouse
was not working , could u help me on how to configure mouse.
gurneet
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Terrance Mc Minn" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2003 7:27 AM
Subject: [Radiance-general] Re: Radiance on bootable CDROM using Linux
i explored ur radiance on bootable CDROM , everthing was fine except, mouse
was not working , could u help me on how to configure mouse. Gurneet
To configure the mouse with X windows, you need to determine the manner in
which the mouse is connected to the computer. See also pages 53 and 59 of
the study guide:
i) USB mouse, use the /dev/input/mice
ii) The PS/2 mouse has a small round 6- pin DIN connector. Use /dev/psaux
iii) A serial mouse has a 9 or 25 pin connector and can be connected on com
port 1. Use /dev/ttyS0
iv) A serial mouse has either a 9 or 25 pin connector and can be connected
on com port 2. Use /dev/ttyS1
Hint: If the rest of your X configuration is working, you can modify the
setup via xreset's 'Complex - text mode' scripts from the console. See from
page 65 onwards in the study guide.
Regards
Terry Mc Minn
Faculty of Built Environment, Art and Design
Curtin University of Technology
GPO Box U 1987
Perth 6845
Western Australia
Email: [email protected]
CRICOS Provider Code: 00301J
Status of V2.02:
Upgrade to XFree86 version 4.2 - provides access to a host of new graphic
cards
Recompile kernel without USB debug messages enabled - better access to
solid state USB memory devices
Upgrade to discover 1.5 for hardware discovery
Compile in the 3ds2mgf file converters
Future:
Upgrade to Radiance 3.5
Please email any comments.
Regards
Terry Mc Minn
Faculty of Built Environment, Art and Design
Curtin University of Technology
GPO Box U 1987
Perth 6845
Western Australia
Email: [email protected]
CRICOS Provider Code: 00301J