Question About The Early History Of "chief Architect" In The 1980's (Before It Was Called Ca)

[Fun2Learn]

I have a question about the very early history of Chief Architect (back in the 1980's before it was even called Chief Architect!) Do any of you "old timers" (or maybe even someone who works for Chief) know if  "Chief" would have worked on the old Apple computers (Pre-Macintosh) back in the 1980's? I am trying to solve a mystery about whether or not a cad program I had used back in the mid-1980's was what eventually became Chief Architect! Here is why I ask:

      I recently stumbled across the Wikipedia article about Chief Architect,  and learned that the company was originally  started in Palo Alto, Ca in 1981 and that it was originally called " Advanced Relational Technology, Inc. (ART)". That got me wondering if I could have actually been using, from about 1986-1989 or so, a very early version of what would later be called Chief Architect, when I worked for an architecture firm in San Jose, CA! (San Jose is near Palo Alto.)  At that time, the company I worked for had three little  Apple computers (affectionately nick-named "Larry", "Mo" and "Curley") set up in a little "loft" area. I think they were actually given to the firm by Apple to "test-drive" for cad use.   I remember a man with brown hair and a beard coming in to update our CAD software periodically and give us training. I am pretty sure that  he was the developer of the software himself or maybe a partner---it was definitely a "start-up" kind of company (not a big name outfit and definitely not autocad.)  I remember that the software was very easy to use. I don't remember if it was 3-D or not at that time. I only used it for a few projects myself --others in the firm used it more (it was a pretty good sized firm for San Jose!). We mainly used it for multi-family projects where it was very convenient to make one floor plan and copy it multiple times.

  The architecture firm  eventually bought a pc and AutoCAD about 1989 or so and hired someone who already how to use it. I quit working  there about 1990 or 1991 and ended up moving to Maryland. In 1996(?) or so I bought  Broderbund's "3-D Home Architect" (which I later learned was actually made by Chief Architect) and I remember thinking that the program seemed very similar to the program I had used at the architecture firm back in California!

 

So, maybe somebody can help me solve this mystery. Was it likely that we were using ART (Chief) back at my old firm? Would the man who came in to do our updates and training be the founder , Jack Simpson, or someone else? Just wondering.....

 

Phyllis

[DavidJPotter]

3D Home Architect distributed by Brouderbund for Advanced Relational Technologies and the earliest versions of Chief Architect all ran only on Windows. Where I worked we used Mac's and totally switched to PC's when we started using 3D Home Architect version 3 and then Chief Architect Version 4.

 

DJP

[JLDrafting]

I bought Chief Architect version 4.1 in the early '90's for $800 I think. I had taken AutoCad courses at a University at night. As a contractor, I attended the K&B shows in New Orleans and Atlanta for a few years. I was impressed with the demonstrations and finally made the investment. It was an ART product, but I don't recall whether I bought it from them directly or through Broderbund. Support was from ART in Idaho. I did attend a workshop in New Orleans shortly thereafter. They also had training videos on VHS later that I bought as well. Broderbund sold 3-D Home Architect for about $36 in places like Staples for homeowners. ART became CA somewhere around version 9.5 or 10. I had the Drafting and Design A.S. Degree Program at a local Community College here and had it installed for the Architectural Drafting Course (Version 9) in 2003. I used both Acad & CA in that course. Not sure of the date. Version 9.5 was a free upgrade soon after. There are people still involved with CA from the start that I can't remember right now.

[Richard_Morrison]

Certainly not ART. But could it have been MiniCAD or an early version of ArchiCAD?

[lbuttery]

Check out this prior thread

 

http://www.chieftalk.com/showthread.php?64629-Chief-Architect-Software-History&highlight=history

 

Lew

[Electromen]

My first edition was 3D Home Architect  in 1997 made by Boderbund.  It ran on Windows '95. 

[RodCole]

I would follow up on what Richard mentioned in regards to ArchiCAD.  I saw a demo of a program in the early 90's that, from what I can remember was called ArchiCAD and was for a Mac.  It did look a lot like what Chief would later become.  Not really up on the history of ArchiCAD, but it seems like the program I saw was developed in Germany and had a network of small distributors in this country.

 

One clue would be if the program had the capability to do roofs.  That did not come along in Chief till later, but the program that I saw did have roofs.

[Fun2Learn]

Thanks, everyone. Thanks Lew, for the link to the old discussion about the history. Very interesting!!!

 

   Remember, I am talking about a CAD program that I used way back in 1986 that was running on Apple computers BEFORE  they were Macs and even before Windows 1 came out. ( Did Chief run on DOS when it very first came out?)  I only remember the program doing floor plans. Maybe it could do other things, but I'm not sure. Was Chief always 3-D, even when it first started in the early 1980's?

 

 I don't think it was  a German CAD program--, it was  definitely a local (near San Jose, Ca ) start-up company.

 

Greg--I double-checked and my "3-D Home Architect" was also 1997. Mine was the "Deluxe" version!! It was really pretty amazing for back then. I actually used it off and on over the years until  last year when I got my new computer. I'm not sure if it will run on Windows 8--maybe I should check it out for fun.

 

Thanks again,

Phyllis

 

Phyllis

[Joe_Carrick]

Phyllis,

 

I think the program you remember was PCAD.  They were based in (or near) San Jose.  It did run on the Apple (Macintosh I think, but maybe the Apple II+).  I was working as the Architectural Product Manager for CalComp at the time and we almost bought that Company.  My recollection was that it was strictly 2D but we were interested because of the Apple context.

[lbuttery]

Dave Pittman posted this in the old forum

 

I've re-posted here so it doesn't get lost....

 

 

Chief Architect Software History

From time to time, someone becomes interested in the history of the program known as Chief Architect (Chief).

What follows is a compilation of information gathered from elsewhere on and off of Chieftalk.

If anyone has a correction, or detail on any element in the list, like an old flier or something, please pm or email me and I will update this post to reflect the changes.
If any of the Chief staff have access to pdf copies of old fliers or "What's New files" that they would be willing to share, send them to me and I'll add them here, that would be great.


The Beginning
Source: Dermott Dempsey ~ Started working for Chief Architect, Inc (ART, Inc.) in 1998

"Chief Architect Inc. was originally called Advanced Relational Technology Inc. because it started out as a database software company. Jack Simpson the owner and founder of the company used to joke that the only reason he started writting home design software is because Oracle basically put him out of business. He started writing Chief while he was looking for a job and if he would have found one, the company probably wouldn't exist.

Actually, there was a lot more to it then that. He was in the process of designing and building a house in California at the time and he saw the need for an easy to use home design program. He was also trying to teach himself C++ and Windows because it was just around that time that both were becoming popular in the PC world. Through the right combination of vision, hard work, and a little bit of luck, Chief Architect was born. Chief Archtitect eventually moved to Idaho because Jack grew up here and still had family in the area.

I started working for Chief Architect back in 1998. At the time, the development team consisted of Jack, myself, and one other programer and we worked out of Jack's attic. It was a very nice attic and we had a great view of the lake, but it was still just an attic. The rest of the company was in a small office across town. This led to all kinds of communication problems.

It was a very different company back then. Everything was done very ad-lib and the company seemed more like a start-up then a mature business. The company was in the process of putting out version 6 and I remember having a hard time believing that they had actually done this 5 times before. The bug database was a stack of papers and notes on Jack's desk. If someone wanted to raise the priority of a bug, they would come by Jack's desk and find the bug report and move it to the top of the pile because he never managed to get to the ones at the bottom."
====================

Version List (newest first)

2013
CA-HD14 (Oct.) Box Image


2012
CA X5 Box Image Brochure
"What's New in X5" (New features start on page 7 of pdf)

Room Planner (CA-RP) iPad app released


2011
CA X4 Box Image
First 64bit version,
"What's New in X4" (New features start on page 5 of pdf)

CA-HD12 (Oct.) Box Image


2010
CA X3
Annotation Sets,"Premier" and "Interior" sub-set versions released.
"What's New in X3" (New features start on page 8 of pdf)


CA-HD10 (Oct.) Box Image


2009
CA X2
Feature Summary Page


CA-HD9 (June) Box Image


2008
BHAG-HD8 (April) Box Image

2007
CA X1 Box Image


2006
BHAG-HD7 (August) Box Image


2005
CA 10 Box Image


2003
CA 9
Feature Summary Page (v9.5)

BHAG-HD6 (Sept) Box Image

CA-HE5


2002
CA 8 (Jan)
Symbol Wizard, CAD to Walls, New GUI
Feature Summary Page


2001
CA 7
House Wizard


1999
CA 6 or CA 99 (July)


1997
CA 5 or CA 97 (Aug)


1995
CA 4 Brochure
Metric Units, 3D Roofs & Foundations.


1993
CA 2 (1992 or 1993 ?)


1992
CA 1 (May)
The first Version (not sold commercially)


1991
CA Development started

KEY

CA # = Chief Architect Version (ART CAV1 to X1 & Chief Archtitect from X2 onwards)

CA-RP = Chief Architect Room Planner Mobile App.

BHAG-HD = Better Homes And Gardens Home Designer (ART with BHAG)

CA-HE = Chief Architect Home Edition (ART Only)

CA-HD = Chief Architect Home Designer (Chief Architect Only)
====================

Misc Files

System Requirements for versions 7 through X5

====================

3DHA (Broderbund) Version History 1.5, 2.1, 3.0, and 4.0 (based upon Chief Architect)
Summarized from information found here: http://countryplans.com/3dha/index.html

1.5 (1992)
There was no capability to create roofs in the initial version of this software. It was designed to allow the user to create a general layout or floor plan. But it did include the standard 3D views we are use to today.

2.1 (1995) Box Image
The BIG change from versions 1.5 to 2.1 was the addition of Roofs.

3.0 (1997) Box Image
There was no single BIG breakthrough from version 2.1 to 3.0, only many smaller ones.

4.0 (2001 Mar.) Box Image
A New Rendering Engine - The software that creates the Applied Material View. This is probably an improvement to the old engine as any change would have been an improvement. I believe the old engine was based on DirectX technology where the new engine is based on OpenGL.

House Wizard, New User Interface (GUI), Curved Stairs

5.0
This version was not based upon Chief Architect any longer, and is not compatible with earlier version files.
====================

Lew

[Charlie]

I was using CA2, because I remember when roofs came out in V4 - that was a huge thing. Before V4 I used it for plans and interiors, but had to go to the "boards" to do the elevations. 

[NRST8TRKR]

Lew,

You are correct on the direct-x engine then open GL.

 I started with 3-D Home  in 1992 with 1.5. Did floor plan and wall elev.  in program then went to the board for roof.

 

Wow that was a long time ago.

 

Have a great week,Ken

[RodCole]

I started with V2 as well, but instead of the drawing board I recreated the exterior of the model using FastCAD 3D.  Don't remember exactly when framing members became available in Chief, but I can remember doing those at times with FastCAD as well.

[lbuttery]

Lew,

You are correct on the direct-x engine then open GL

 

Ken:

 

I think you mean Dave Pittman ....

 

Lew

[lbuttery]

Bill:

 

I am buried to my "butt.." in history preservation projects

 

not working on any FLW but he is big here in Buffalo

 

Lew

[4hotshoez]

Development of ArchiCAD started in 1982 for the original Apple Macintosh. ArchiCAD is recognized as the first CAD product on a personal computer able to create both 2D drawings and parametric 3D geometry. Archicad was developed in Hungry.

 

Vectorworks was known as MiniCAD when it first launched in 1985. It was originally developed on Mac OS and became available to Windows computers from MiniCAD 6. With version 8, it became MiniCAD Vectorworks, and with version 8.5 in 1999 it lost its MiniCAD name.

 

Just for comparison, AutoCAD was derived from a program begun in 1977 and released in 1979 called Interact CAD, also referred to in early Autodesk documents as MicroCAD, which was written prior to Autodesk's (then Marinchip Software Partners) formation by Autodesk cofounder Mike Riddle.

The first version by the AutoDesk company was demonstrated at the 1982 Comdex and released that December. The 2015 release marked the 29th major release for the AutoCAD for Windows. The 2014 release marked the fourth consecutive year for AutoCAD for Mac.

[4hotshoez]

Then there was the development of PowerCADD, which began with PowerDraw, a true CADD alternative to MacDraw that was released in the mid-1980s. The online user group from GEnie that participated in outlining the capabilities of the new CADD program were invited to initiate a graphics forum on Applelink Personal Edition in 1987. PowerCADD is a computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) software program for the Apple Macintosh platform developed from out of the PowerDraw platform of the mid-1980s by Greensboro, North Carolina-based Engineered Software.

[RodCole]

Mike Riddle also founded Evolution Computing in the mid 80's with EasyCAD, my first CAD program, and FastCAD, my second.  Mike still owns and operates his business currently.

 

I am still leaning in the direction of ArchiCAD since it was promoted through small dealers, many in connection with universities here in the US.  I don't doubt that it was a small startup that promoted the product.  Probably not the developer though.  Still like to know if what you saw back then could do roofs.  That would be an important clue.

[MoeGia]

For anyone who would like to open old plans:

 

X9 will not open *.pln plans.

 

X8 will open plans back to Chief Architect 97 (released August 1997).

 

CA 10 (2005) creates *.plan files.  Version 10 will open plans back to CA 97 (same as CA X8).  Version 9 is required to open pre-August 1997 .pln files.

[Ridge_Runner]

On 10/7/2014 at 11:29 PM, RodCole said:

Mike Riddle also founded Evolution Computing in the mid 80's with EasyCAD, my first CAD program, and FastCAD, my second.  Mike still owns and operates his business currently.

 

I am still leaning in the direction of ArchiCAD since it was promoted through small dealers, many in connection with universities here in the US.  I don't doubt that it was a small startup that promoted the product.  Probably not the developer though.  Still like to know if what you saw back then could do roofs.  That would be an important clue.

Interesting to see someone mention EasyCAD. I began using Autocad around 1985 or 86. Right after that I found EasyCAD. Didn't even go back to Autocad for several years. I did upgrade eventually to FastCAD, EasyCAD's big brother. Strictly 2D but easy to use and, like it's name, it was indeed very fast. Used it for years in our corporate engineering offices until we had to go back to Autocad to be compatible with the outside world.

 

I started with Broderbund's 3D Home, ver. 1.5 around 1993 - $39.95 I think. Went to Chief with ver. '97. Never looked back.