Chris Whitted

This thread has grown a little since I last read through it, but I stumbled across a handy flowchart a couple of weeks ago that I’ve been meaning to post here. Hopefully it isn’t buried in the thread already.
http://inspirationlab.wordpress.com/2010/04/16/so-you-need-a-typeface/
Made me think of the many subdivision naming charts, such as this…[Read more]

There are a number of recent threads on this topic; I would suggest reading through…[Read more]

What about civil engineers?
I’d have to go with something similiar to Tosh K’s answer. What we do better than anyone else is bridge the gaps between everyone else. You can find someone else profession-wise who does anything we do, but not EVERYTHING we do. And I would also venture to say we often have more understanding of the things we don’t do…[Read more]

I guess I’m a little confused. So CLARB has one set of requirements to be met for taking the exam (which do NOT include anything less than a bachelors in something, but strangely the degree doesn’t need to be from an accredited program), while each state sets their own rules for who can take the test and those rules can be far less stringent than…[Read more]

Ah, you were looking at using the cloud storage as primary, not just a backup.
Yes, improving your server situation would be most beneficial from what you describe. Consolidating data files to a single location makes backups significantly easier, as well as the convenience and time factors of everyone knowing where to look for something and having…[Read more]

First off, in terms of backups I’ll just say that cloud storage is simply another medium no different than external drives, magnetic tapes, or DVDs. They all have their own pros and cons. You’ve sort of answered your own first question – with no off-site backup if your office burns down you lose everything, permanently. And for the record,…[Read more]

From what I can gather of the original question and ensuing discussion, you’re not so much looking for overall planting plan methods as ways to do area take-offs (which are admittedly a part of planting plans and schedules). We used a cheap, third-party, add-on program for AutoCAD that allowed you to link dwgs and Excel files, performing…[Read more]

All of my experience with this kind of thing is second-hand; meaning it was the firm I worked for approached to be a partner/team member, not me as an individual consultant, and I wasn’t ‘in charge’ of anything.  We also sought out partners as well.  I’ve seen it work basically two ways, one of which you’ve experienced.  Essentially it’s a marke…[Read more]

Legally, the really short answer is going to be ‘everyone’.  It could get fairly complex, but the company, the LA, and anyone with oversight to the LA could be named individually and collectively in a lawsuit.  And they may have to fight it individually or as a group.  Assuming the company is carrying the required liability insurance the policy wi…[Read more]

On the whole, no.  There are some pieces of certain projects that have come out wonderfully, but most of my work to date has been more… suburban in nature.  But that begins to get into an entirely different and complex subject about the types of work one does and for whom.  And while my personal aesthetic preferences might be toward more na…[Read more]

I’ve been opposed to this since I first heard about it years ago.  In my opinion, no it isn’t landscape architecture, it’s just art.  But I’m biased – I prefer natural beauty over art, which is part of why I came here (I also live in CO) and one of the fundamental reasons I chose this field.

Very interesting.  In particular I thought that first case example they cited was an eye-opener, where the contract was “for a farmhouse renovation, when the stated objective of the architectural contract was to ‘create a sustainable green modern single family home.'”  The question to me wasn’t who was responsible to obtain certification, as the a…[Read more]

I’m surprised you haven’t heard the term before Trace – I remember it from school in the late 90’s and still see it used rather frequently.  Basically it’s a/the story that is either told by the landscape or experienced by a user.  At its most literal, think interpretive walks or parks with timelines etched into the pavers.  On a more abstract lev…[Read more]

I did my internship (more than ten years ago) in a firm with six people on a similar computer network. One of the things I did on my very last day was to pick up an early NAS for them after some research and recommendations. Unfortunately I didn’t have much to do with it beyond plugging it in.

But based on what I know of NAS boxes, particularly…[Read more]

It may just be a dialect thing. I have always used (and heard it used) to describe either small trees or grasses. I’ve never called a shrub, vine, annual, or perennial ‘ornamental’; rather I may use the word ‘accent’ or ‘specimen’ to describe something particularly distinctive/unique. The simple definition in my view would be a particular species…[Read more]

Computer graphics can already equal the quality of hand drawn graphics using Photoshop or any similar software. It’s just usually done with a tablet so… well I guess it’s still hand graphics? The medium, method, and tools are largely interchangeable to produce a specific look when it comes to the digital realm these days.

I see none of the…[Read more]

A furlough is basically mandatory, unpaid time off. You’re not fired, you’re not laid off, but you’ve been told not to come in to work even if you want to and you will not be paid for the working hours missed. However there are some fairly complex rules in employment law as far as when and how they can be implemented, and many times it’s not done…[Read more]

Pencil, pen, marker, mouse, keyboard, camera… they’re all tools. Means to an end. Digital technologies have made some aspects easier, yes. But it’s the use of those tools that makes something better, not the tool itself. Digital may save a great deal of time for a creative, talented designer, or allow them to move in new directions with new…[Read more]

This is something I see not infrequently in the photography realm. Unfortunately the only way to completely protect your work is to not post it. There are a couple of ways to combat it. You’ve already dealt with contacting offenders directly and mentioned you were tired of doing that. You might consider a more legal approach, including cease and…[Read more]

The simple answer to that question is the LAs all use AutoCAD/LDD/Civil, some use Sketchup with some back and forth between it and CAD, and the architects exclusively use Revit.