Computer programs make the lighting designer's job less tedious and can result
in better designs delivered in a shorter time. Fixture comparisons become
trivial, as does changing various design parameters to see the effect on the
design. In this way, a computer program helps the designer choose the optimum
lighting design for a customer.
It is important to remember that any program is only as good as the person using it. The user must be able to understand the inputs and analyze the meaning of results and information presented. There are a wide variety of programs available, from the very simple to the very sophisticated. The simple programs are easy to use, quick to run and require minimal hardware. While the simple programs require fewer inputs, the output is usually less accurate and less detailed. The more sophisticated the program, the more detailed the inputs and the more accurate the results.
And Furthermore . . .
