Point of Beginning articles from April 2002

Point of Beginning archives from April 2002

What tomorrow holds: "The best way to predict the future is to invent it". (Editor's Note).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Alan Kay, author Flipping through past pages of POB magazine, it's amazing to see how the profession has changed in 25-plus years. Today, the surveying and mapping industry includes an ever-evolving realm of specialty areas and new...

Sokkia goes Back to Basics. (The Latest News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Sokkia Corporation of Olathe, Kan., is going "Back to Basics." Tak Oda, the company's president and chief executive officer, announced in March that its Sokkia Measuring System chain of retail stores in the United States were sold to a group of...

MDOT builds innovative GPS system. (The Latest News).(Michigan Department of Transportation )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... To address the need for greater accuracy and timesavings, the Design Survey Division of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has implemented an entirely new approach to GPS Reference Station implementation and has set a new standard...

ASPRS sets a new plan. (The Latest News).(American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... With a changing and promising industry, the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, or ASPRS: the Imaging and Geospatial Information Society, recently developed a new Strategic Plan for its future and the future of its members....

Towering tools of the trade: 3D laser scanning aids construction of a 27-story structure.
April 1, 2002... In the fall of 2000, Dodge Phelps Corporation, a global leader in the mining and manufacturing industries, contracted Ryan Companies US Inc., a leading national real estate firm offering integrated design-build, development and property...

Surveying D.C. sites: Washington, D.C. offers a glimpse of surveying history.
April 1, 2002... Looking for some places to visit around Washington, D.C. that will fit into your schedule? Maybe a place to take the family that won't entail long lines? Well, here are a couple of sites that are just the ticket-and they're relative to...

Appraisal Institute. (Industry Insider).(Thomas A. Matta)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Thomas A. Matta MAI, SRA, President POB: What measures can surveyors and appraisers take to improve the understanding and overall relationship between these two groups of professionals? What is the benefit of this mutually respectable...

ACSM. (Industry Insider).(American Congress on Surveying and Mapping)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Contact: Curt Sumner Executive Director POB: ACSM has been fielding a lot of questions of late regarding the worth and efforts of the organization for the benefit of surveyors. What plans does ACSM have for the future of surveying...

ASPRS. (Industry Insider).(American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Jim Plasker, Executive Director POB: What is your assessment of the revised NCEES model law for the future of the geomatics industry? Is it being accepted with industry professionals? Should it be and why or why not? Plasker: We first...

FIG. (Industry Insider).(interview with Bob Foster, president of the International Federation of Surveyors)(Brief Article)(Interview)
April 1, 2002... Bob Foster, President POB: As you approach the end of your term as president of the International Federation of Surveyors, what observations have you made about the position of the surveying profession on the world stage? Foster: The...

Repairing the Pentagon: Workers look to reflectorless EDM technology after 9/11 attack.
April 1, 2002... Following the initial rescue and recovery efforts after the tragic September 11 attack on the Pentagon, workers soon began the daunting task of repairing and rebuilding the 58-year-old structure. Prior to the attack, a portion of the...

Before the levee breaks: A Louisiana parish reduced flood potential with GIS modeling.(Geographic Information System)
April 1, 2002... For more than a generation, residents of West Jefferson Parish in Louisiana had taken for granted the series of canals and levees that are supposed to protect them from rising floodwaters following hurricanes. But in 1998, a tropical storm that...

Surveying in the outback: Australia's Great Eastern Highway gets a facelift on time and under budget.(Statistical Data Included)
April 1, 2002... For tourists in Western Australia to travel to Swan Valley to see the oldest wine-growing region or to relax on a Sunset Coast beach, the Great Eastern Highway (GEH) is their carriage-way. An essential transport link, the GEH stretches from the...

SurvCE by Carlson Software: Complete data collection in Windows CE. (In Review).(profile of new system)
April 1, 2002... The surveying profession is always in transition. Laws, environmental concerns, licensing requirements, business practices and field equipment are among the issues we deal with every day, those that are dynamic in nature. In my lifetime, field...

Surveying the big issues. (On the Level).(global spatial data infrastructure)
April 1, 2002... I have been writing for professional surveying publications since 1982, and POB magazine has carried my columns for the past six years. I have lectured on a variety of subjects of interest to surveyors in all but a few states, and several...

The impact of technology. (From the Ground Up).(impact on mapping industry)
April 1, 2002... Have you spent much time thinking of how the application of new technology has impacted your professional career? Regardless of your specialty, technology has almost certainly had a significant effect on the way you conduct your day-to-day...

We just don't get no respect. (Professional Topography).(surveyors' contributions to various projects in society)
April 1, 2002... Whether called surveyor, geomatics practitioner or survey engineer, the primary traditional occupation of this group has been to delineate property lines or other land lines. Regardless of the name, what's critical to understanding this group's...

Eagle point. (Turning Points).(new executive team announced)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Eagle Point, Dubuque, Iowa, announced its new executive team. The team consists of Shane Gardner, vice president, technology and services; Mark Lyons, vice president, sales and marketing; Randy Ambrosy, vice president, business development; Jim...

Vertical Mapping Resources Inc. (Turning Points).(appoints new chief executive officer)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Vertical Mapping Resources Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz., named Kurt J. Okraski as chief executive officer. Okraski oversees the company's sales, marketing and financial operations.

Pacific Crest Corporation. (Turning Points).(Aldert Kluft)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Pacific Crest Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif., welcomed Aldert Kluft as European Regional Sales Manager.

Avenza Systems Inc. (Turning Points).(appoints Jeff Hoedeman to new position)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Avenza Systems Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, the developer of the MAPublisher map production software, appointed Jeff Hoedeman to the newly created position of vice president, business development. Hoedeman is responsible for marketing,...

Geoline Positioning Systems Inc. (Turning Points).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Trimble, Sunnyvale, Calif., expanded one of its Washington dealers, Geoline Positioning Systems Inc. Geoline, based in Bellevue, Wash., has completed its acquisition of three Trimble/Spectra Precision stores located in Redmond and Fife, Wash.,...

Eastman Kodak Company's Commercial and Government Systems (C&GS). (Turning Points).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Eastman Kodak Company's Commercial and Government Systems (C&GS) unit, Rochester, N.Y., signed agreements to expand distribution of its Earth imagery. Kodak agreed to make its imagery available through Webmap, a leading provider of Australian...

Eastman Kodak Company's Commercial Imaging Group. (Turning Points).(named James Manchisi president of Commercial and Government Systems)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Eastman Kodak Company's Commercial Imaging Group, Rochester, N.Y., named James Manchisi president of Commercial & Government Systems (C&CS). He replaces Carl A. Marchetto who was named president of the company's recently formed Commercial...

Surveying solutions.
April 1, 2002... Each month we present a math problem from the second edition of 1001 Solved Surveying Fundamentals Problems by Jan Van Sickle, PLS. As in the following example, the answer will appear beside the problem, in a shaded box. We hope you enjoy these...

Leica Geosystems. (New & Notable).(Leica Geosystems introduced DISTO Tape)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Leica Geosystems introduced DISTO Tape. DISTO Tape is a lightweight, handheld device that uses visible laser beams to make fast, easy measurements of distance, area and volume, with 1/8 inch (3-mm) accuracy, at ranges up to 300 feet (100...

CARIS. (New & Notable).(CARIS GEMM 4.0)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... CARIS released CARIS GEMM 4.0, a software package specifically designed for the display and output of geological data in a digital environment. Features of this package include customizable symbol templates, tools for merging and overlaying...

SECO Manufacturing. (New & Notable).
April 1, 2002... SECO Manufacturing introduced the Offset Pole Holder Kit. The kit allows surveyors to plumb the prism pole on difficult or dangerous points such as pipelines, walls, tall monuments or streets. It is excellent for any odd or difficult setup...

Twistloc GPS Telescoping Pole. (New & Notable).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Also, SECO Manufacturing offered the Twistloc GPS Telescoping Pole. The Twistloc (TLV) has a built-in, fluorescent yellow vial that is more visible for fast leveling. With the vial on-board the Twistloc, there is more "real estate" on the pole...

Allen Osborne Associates Inc. (New & Notable).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Allen Osborne Associates Inc. released Version 6.03A of TurboSurvey Software 2 for GPS processing. Capabilities of the new version include a semi-automatic download of CORS Station data, improved fixed static baseline processing algorithms,...

IcoMap. (New & Notable).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... UCLID Software announced that IcoMap is available as an extension to ArcGIS. IcoMap is a parcel mapping conversion and maintenance package that works directly with scanned documents to create vector maps. (UCLID, Madison, Wis.) 406

ESRI Press released Planning and Support Systems. (New & Notable).
April 1, 2002... ESRI Press released Planning and Support Systems, a theoretical book that demonstrates how GIS technology is being used. The book features full color maps, descriptive diagrams, three-dimensional representations and work by planning scholars...

Getting to know ArcGIS Desktop. (New & Notable).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Also, ESRI Press released Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop, a complete and comprehensive workbook for learning the latest in geographic information system (GIS) technology. It introduces the reader to the three GIS products that comprise ArcGIS,...

Conservation Geography: Case studies in GIS, computer mapping and activism. (New & Notable).
April 1, 2002... Also, ESRI Press released Conservation Geography: Case Studies in GIS, Computer Mapping and Activism. This full-color publication demonstrates the power of computers and GIS in transforming the way environmental problems and conservation...

Eagle Point released Eagle Point 2002. (New & Notable).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Eagle Point released Eagle Point 2002. Some highlights of the program include its open database format, LandXML support plant attributes modification, profile structure modification and its create surface from road feature. (Eagle Point,...

Z/I Imaging Corporation released ImageStation 2002. (New & Notable).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Z/I Imaging Corporation released ImageStation 2002, the next generation of its softcopy photogrammetric production workstation. The 2002 modular rack-mount design allows for expansion with a 12 unit chassis that includes 5 units for the host...

MicroSurvey released CAD2002. (New & Notable).
April 1, 2002... MicroSurvey released CAD2002, a complete survey and design solution engineered around standalone GAD and integrated COGO, DTM and design. CAD2002 replaces switching menus and programs with an integrated and customizable user interface. CAD2002...

MicroSurvey released Express2002. (New & Notable).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Also, MicroSurvey released Express2002, a survey tool for those that don't require CAD and DTM functions, but still need all the necessary tools. Express2002 features COGO calculations, dynamic placement of buildings plus versatile staking...

PROptions released Survey-Trak. (New & Notable).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... PROptions released Survey-Trak, a system for managing and tracking survey points and survey monuments. System highlights include comprehensive survey control for horizontal, vertical, ellipsoidal, geoid, mean lower low water and superceded...

RPLS.com connection: Here are a few messages from a thread called "Rain Days".(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Posted By Sam Clemons on 2/20/2002 at 10:28 AM What do you do with your crews when it's a rainout? Send them home with no pay? Big company I worked for gave them two hours pay and sent them home. Posted By Ted Dura Dura on 2/20/2 002...