I am having a hard time when I realize that PAT will not run parametric on a local computer. Why would any typical Joe Modeler or Jane Simulatore will sign up for AWS, just to run a few hundred calculations? I get it if NREL or LBNL folks will need to run zillions of simulation on the fly, but average users will need to run probably in the hundreds. If one simulation takes about 10 minutes, 500 runs will take about one day on a average quad core laptop. Many of us will wait for one day, instead of signing up for AWS. Well, of course, that depends on how regular we have hundreds of case to run. But you get the picture.
So my question is: what is the basis of the decision for this software design? Targeting a more advanced users for OpenStudio and/or PAT?
I have been using OpenStudio as my primary teaching tools since 2011 at least, both in academic and professional training. Over the years, I get the impression that OpenStudio has shifted its focus toward a more advanced user base. It's hard to observe this trend when my primary audience is mostly architects with zero experience with energy simulation. Asking them to define their own measure or even to setup AWS, well, that's just beyond normal for many of us.
Sorry for the rants, but I just want to have a discussion on this issue of where OpenStudio is going. Just in case I need to consider other tool to use for teaching the masses.
