Method and apparatus for providing access to and working with architectural drawings on the internet

1. An Internet-based design system, implemented on a web server computer, for use by building, design, architectural, engineering, and construction personnel, wherein the design environment provides a graphical user interface having a virtual desktop that resembles an architect's desk, wherein the virtual desktop provides a virtual workspace for storing design documents and a set of basic virtual design tools for use in sketching, drawing, modeling, creating, and editing the stored design documents in the virtual workspace;

wherein the design documents are different media types and are persistendy maintained on the web server;

wherein the virtual design tools comprise graphical icons represented by objects with persistent properties for each object, and wherein the virtual design tools may be moved around the virtual workspace; and

wherein the design environment supports multi-modal input, side-by-side layout of the stored documents, access permissions for users of the design environment, the ability to interact with applications on the virtual desktop, and the ability for multiple users at different locations to access and edit workspaces and documents simultaneously, while one user can see another user's edits as the edits are made.

2. The design environment of claim 1 wherein one of the virtual design tools is selected from a group comprising a pencil, a pen, and tracing paper.

3. The design environment of claim 1 wherein a new virtual design tool can be added to the design environment by dragging and dropping the new design tool from an Internet-based catalog to the virtual workspace.

4. A method, implemented on a web server computer, for providing a graphical user interface having a virtual desktop that resembles an architect's desk, for use by building, design, architectural, engineering, and construction personnel, the method comprising:

(a) providing a virtual workspace for storing design documents, wherein:

(i) the design documents are different media types and are persistenily maintained on the web server computer;

(b) providing a set of basic virtual design tools for use in sketching, drawing, modeling, creating, and editing the stored design documents in the virtual workspace, wherein:

(i) the virtual design tools comprise graphical icons represented by objects with persistent properties for each object; and

(ii) the virtual design tools may be moved around the virtual workspace; and

(c) providing an Internet-based design environment that:

(i) supports multi-modal input;

(ii) side-by-side layout of the stored documents;

(iii) access permissions for users of the design environment;

(iv) the ability to interact with applications on the virtual desktop; and

(v) the ability for multiple users at different locations to access and edit workspaces and documents simultaneously, while one user can see another user's edits as the edits are made.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising selecting one of the virtual design tools from a group consisting of a pencil, a pen, and tracing paper.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising adding a new virtual design tool to the design environment by dragging and dropping the new design tool from an Internet-based catalog to the virtual workspace.

7. A computer-implemented apparatus comprising:

(a) a web server computer;

(b) an application executing on the web server computer configured to provide a graphical user interface having a virtual desktop that resembles an architect's desk, for use by building, design, architectural, engineering, and construction personnel, the server computer configured to:

(i) provide a virtual workspace for storing design documents, wherein:

(1) the design documents are different media types and are persistenily maintained on the web server computer;

(ii) provide a set of basic virtual design tools for use in sketching, drawing, modeling, creating, and editing the stored design documents in the virtual workspace, wherein:

(1) the virtual design tools comprise graphical icons represented by objects with persistent properties for each object; and

(2) the virtual design tools may be moved around the virtual workspace; and

(iii) provide an Internet-based design environment that:

(1) supports multi-modal input;

(2) side-by-side layout of the stored documents;

(3) access permissions for users of the design environment;

(4) the ability to interact with applications on the virtual desktop; and

(5) the ability for multiple users at different locations to access and edit workspaces and documents simultaneously, while one user can see another user's edits as the edits are made.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the application is further configured to select one of the virtual design tools from a group consisting of a pencil, a pen, and tracing paper.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the application is further configured to add a new virtual design tool to the design environment by dragging and dropping the new design tool from an Internet-based catalog to the virtual workspace.