>
> *IMHO,* *the process of personally measuring up and drawing a building
> by hand gives one a great deal of information about it that one
> wouldn't get by just looking at a finished CADD plot (drawing) of the
> same thing.*

I'm sure I have the details wrong but I'll go for the legend. There was
the Texas outfit that did plotting of the Statue of Liberty and they
came up with millions of data points. They went back to Texas and were
confused because the data points did not add up. Seems the arm with the
torch was moving. For a system designed to remote view a structure with
1/8" accuracy (possibly more accurate by now) it does not do so well on
slowly moving objects. Conclusion: avoid using photogrammetry during
earthquakes and/or on ocean going vessels in action. I find the religion
of technology, that a little technical fix or a pill will cure all our
ills, to be a curious phenom.

Regardless, I think photogrammetry is really kool. Some years back CT
put out an rfp for survey of the concrete bridges on the Merritt
Parkway. The idea of blocking the highway in order to hand measure the
bridges seemed prohibitive and I went about with an idea to set up a
photogrammetry team on the shoulder and median of the road, survey the
bridges, and then conduct a representative sampling of the crack lines.
At the time it was two guys in a back office in New Haven with a few
computers that were the only ones around doing pg. They were using
software from Germany and plotting, as I recall, from print photos taken
at different angles to the plane of teh object. The technology has
improved seriously. I think though that the combination of advanced and
relatively market unproven techology combined with our lack of
credentials did us in. So it goes back to who you know that counts.

Besides... is it not the uberArchitect/Contractor who only needs to show
that they have a pencil? I mean, not having to use the pencil, just show
it [nifty pencils obviously] and collect money and fame. The sign of
ultimate success is that you have no office, no vehicle, no phone, no
company -- but you have a pencil... a last vestige of trade and
hands-on, a very small instrument connected to a vast reality.

][<en

--
To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the
uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to:
<http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>