(no subject)

[Thomas Waters]

I sent this  to Andrew directly this AM, when I meant to send to the 
list:

There may be other opinions, and I too would love to hear them- but as 
someone who came from a design/art/photography background- I'd say you 
are already on the right track.  The reason you are doing a drawing is 
to have some visual reference that makes "relationships" easily 
apparent.  It provides a way of understanding the connection between 
some related things.  More important than "rules" is a common sense 
approach- does the drawing do that- help understand connections?

I find that I use OG mostly for flowcharts.  Of web sites, web/ 
database solutions, and the like.  But I also use it for ERD's and some 
networking kinds of things like you've done.  I use it too, to make 
"presentation-like slides that I save as PDF's and use for meetings/ 
several committees and a council I chair for work.  It is my current 
favorite OS X application.  (BTW- there are a few folks who just bought 
visio who have seen my stuff and wish there were a WIN version.  They 
claim and I've shown them how I use OG that it is far easier to use. 
Could be their newbie visio status, or????)

In general, I believe in Function over Form- a weird thing for an 
artist to admit.  Does the drawing "work" is more important than is it 
pretty.  I try and Keep it Simple.  I generally keep everything BW, and 
then add color to help with what the drawing is to accomplish (anything 
blue is "XXX" and anything yellow is "AAA")    In my experience, the 
more you use OG the easier it becomes to get good at using positioning, 
etc.  So, just keep at it.

I did use a book to help me understand ERD's.  I got M. Hernandez 
(sp???) "Database Design for Mere Mortals"  And there are a bunch of 
Web resources for how to flowchart.  Try a google search and you will 
be surprised at what you find.  Maybe for the other "type" of drawings 
too.  But I rarely worry about following rules alone.  I want to make 
sure someone can look at my drawing and understand it.  so, I often 
will give it to someone and say, can you explain this to me- does my 
drawing work to help you know what is going on?  If they can, cool.  If 
not, then I need to do some work- simplify or better illustrate or.....

When I say, I don't worry about rules.  I DO try and follow some basic 
conventions- so I use the diamond for a condition/question, etc.  But I 
don't get hung up in worrying about if I've chosen the right shape, 
line style, etc.  If I'd offer one general comment about your drawing, 
I'd say it is good, but you tend towards the "power-point" syndrome.  
i.e.- use every shape, color and style possible.  If it were me, I'd 
drop the yellow box with the gradation and drop shadow with white type. 
  It doesn't help the function of the drawing- it just attempts to make 
it prettier (but IMHO, it is not pretty).  A gradient PLUS a drop 
shadow is.. well, I wouldn't do it.

In general, I label like you do, but watch what you are doing with 
labels- for example- the DSL300 port has 3 lines- two are to the 
internet.  Is one connection really 128 down and a different connection 
is 64 up?  Or is the DSL 128/64 and there are 2 available connections?

I can post some links to some of my work, if you want, but I'm no 
expert.  I just have found what seems to work for me, and my audience- 
the folks who need to use my drawings.


--
Thomas Waters
thomaswaters at mac.com