Sweet Home 3D

Overview:
Sweet Home 3D by eTeks is an open source Java application that assists users with interior designing of their home. It is available for download at http://sourceforge.net/projects/sweethome3d/.

There are three prime directives of open source software engineering that can be used as a measure of how well software is developed.

Prime Directive #1: The system successfully accomplishes a useful task.

This application allows users to create an accurate 2D layout of their residence. After creating a home, users are able to use the 2D model to place various pieces of furniture where they choose. This allows the user to experiment with various arrangements of their furniture without having to physically move them. The application also creates a 3D preview of the home to give users a more accurate idea of how their furnished home will look.

Prime Directive #2: An external user can successfully install and use the system.

Installation of this application was quick and easy with the Sweet Home 3D setup wizard which guides you through the installation process. Once Sweet Home 3D is installed, new users can access the Sweet Home 3D help which contains descriptions that explain how to use key features of the program. Additional help resources are available for users at http://www.sweethome3d.eu/documentation.jsp, including a video tutorial. After reviewing the help topics, users can quickly become efficient enough to begin modeling and decorating their home. I was able to create a simple 2D home and begin furnishing it within about 15 minutes. I found that this program was fun and easy to use.

Prime Directive #3: An external developer can successfully understand and enhance the system.

A plug-in developer’s guide, which walks through programming a new plug-in for Sweet Home 3D, is available at http://www.sweethome3d.eu/pluginDeveloperGuide.jsp. Also, the Sweet Home 3D source code and developer’s javadoc API is available at http://www.sweethome3d.eu/download.jsp. The source code contains comments to assist developers to understand and modify the code to meet their needs. The Sweet Home 3D API contains a thorough library of classes and methods used to create the Sweet Home 3D application. I think developers would be able to expand the capabilities of this application without much trouble after reviewing the source code and API.