Welcome to this week's edition of the POB eNews... 

Back in 2001, it would have been hard to imagine that only seven years later there would be a presentation on global climate change attended by about 200 land surveyors and GIS professionals. But it happened at the 2008 ESRI Survey & Engineering GIS Summit in San Diego last month.

A keynote speaker for the summit was U.S. Air Force Col. David Madden, commander of GPS Wing, Space and Missile Systems Center. He gave an astonishing insight: When the GPS program was first proposed, he said, "management thought it was a crazy idea." That seems difficult to reconcile considering the impact this program now has on the daily lives of nearly everyone, including surveyors. Madden was followed by a panel discussion about the new and somewhat controversial subject of machine control.

Global climate change was the hot theme at the User Conference, too, and had its own track. This year's conference had a more relaxed atmosphere. How about a "GIS Rocks!" Guitar Hero booth with prizes by Dewberry? Not that many years back, this event was dominated by academics. And there are still plenty of those. But this is clearly a corporate venue now. The exhibit hall floor was outfitted for business meetings, and there was even an express airline check-in booth on-site.

ESRI added product-training sessions for ArcGIS 9.3 with "Island Theatres" on the floor. CAD support for GIS products is now part of the regular program. Raster data is now simply called "imagery" in sessions. And there were many exciting new products, like Topcon's GMS-2 Pro.

As a veteran of more than a dozen of these events, I thought the 2008 incarnation was the best yet.

 -Mike Binge, LS, GISP

This month, we want to know how (or if) the "green" trend has impacted your  business. Take a moment to vote in our Quick Poll at www.pobonline.com.  

Special Collections Library

POB has compiled Mike Binge's five-part series "Developing a new GIS" into an easy-to-access collection. You'll find it under the Special Collections heading of the POB Web site menu, or click directly from here. You'll also find a special collection of POB's GIAA Mailbag/Tool Tip columns for quick-and-easy reference.

Altus APS-3:  The industry's new leading satellite surveying receiver  

-GPS and Glonass RTK for a modest investment
-Base and rover functionality
-Internal GSM modem allows easy access to network corrections
-Utilizes Surv CE, the world's No. 1 survey applications and data collection package  

Contact Sales@altus-ps.com for introductory pricing. www.altus-ps.com

Trimble Introduces Scalable 5800 GPS Survey System The Trimble 5800 System combines a GPS receiver, antenna, UHF radio, Bluetooth wireless technology and power source into a single compact unit weighing approximately 2.67 pounds.

 

Management Buyout of Ashtead Technology Rentals
Ashtead Technology Rentals Ltd. has successfully acquired the business in a $183.7 million management buyout from Ashtead Group plc. 

McCain Tops Obama in MAPPS Preference Poll
Sen. John McCain topped Sen. Barack Obama by an overwhelming 76-percent to 24-percent margin in a poll of MAPPS members conducted July 19-23.

Bentley's MicroStation Release to Incorporate Luxology's Photorealistic Rendering Engine
Bentley Systems Inc. entered into an agreement with Luxology LLC, maker of the modo 3D software used by video professionals and graphic artists, to license Luxology's super-fast, photorealistic rendering engine for inclusion in its forthcoming release of MicroStation.

RICS Americas Announces New Members, Expansion
RICS Americas, a division of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, announced the growth of its membership by more than 290 industry leaders, including key executives from The Altus Group, CB Richard Ellis and Integra Realty Resources.

AEC Store Corner

HOT SELLER: "Lasting Impressions, A Glimpse Into the Legacy of Surveying"

All good things are worth waiting for, and the wait is now over. " Lasting Impressions" is a visually stunning compilation of fascinating stories and photos from surveyors, engineers, geocachers, history buffs and enthusiasts from across the country. The 192-page full-color, hardcover book is a fresh way to look at the history of America. This book embraces the adventures and challenges of the surveying profession, past and present. "Lasting Impressions" is a treasure to own and a great gift for all who appreciate our heritage. 

CLICK to purchase or visit AECstore.com to view our entire line of surveying products.