Chris Whitted

Thanks! As an FYI, some .bmps and .tifs allow you the same layer/color/screening potential in CAD. As I mentioned above, it’s more a function of image type than format. But it’s definitely good to have a simplified standard like that, as it makes file management, work sharing, and troubleshooting so much easier.

A couple of the other comments have made me remember one other thing that can cause distortion, particularly in bitmapped images. There’s a setting I only know how to access through Photoshop that lets you see the Pixel Aspect Ratio. 9 times out of 10, it’s set to square and everything displays right. Once in a while I’ll find a file that either…[Read more]

That depends on a few things, most notably if you’re scaling the image up at all and what type of image it is. With no scaling and on a color or grayscale .jpg, with a plotter that can do max 300 dpi, you’re probably right. With a line drawing scaled even just 2x, you will. I use 300 dpi for scanning bitmapped line drawings; higher if I’m going to…[Read more]

The transparency issue is a function of the image type. Black and white bitmapped images have only two possible colors, and ACAD tends to automatically interpret white as ‘should be transparent’. I believe there’s also a setting in the attachment/image options to turn this on and off, or to specify a color for transparency. With grayscale images,…[Read more]

A few thoughts/suggestions: When doing trace/reference work from sketches where I want a high level of detail, I tend to use the .tif rather than .bmp format. .tif offers the option of compression schemes that CAD can usually also read. if I’m going to be plotting something I’ll create a .jpg at the specific output size/resolution of my final…[Read more]

I’ll be interested to see what other responses there are (specifically on costs and companies), as this is something I’m looking at as well. The only name I know of and that a previous firm I worked for used was Leatzow.

I can tell you that most state licensure laws have a provision/requirement for a minimum amount of professional liability…[Read more]

Very familiar, I assure you. : )

My own story is fairly similar. I knew from a young age that this is where I wanted to live (Colorado), and I headed here as soon as I graduated. Unfortunately the engineering firm I was with ended up phasing out their LA services just over a year later. Halfway across the country from ‘home’, a pile of debts, and…[Read more]

Informative/stimulating discussion! To throw my own two cents in, for the first question I’d say none to very little. For the second, I’m not sure there is any single answer to that.

Toward both questions, it takes a certain kind of person to start and run a business no matter the size, type, or style. This is not to say that if you don’t ‘fit…[Read more]

You’re right in that it’s nothing new. Firms are always dropping names and going to initials, buying out others, or splitting off. It was really rampant around here for a while with civils – I know one firm changed hands/names like four times in five or six years. Keith is right in that the people don’t necessarily change, but the names definitely…[Read more]

Reminds me of the subdivision name generator, particularly the DenverInfill Blog one. 🙂

Open the pdf in Acrobat, and under File > Document Properties there should be an Initial View tab. That should allow you to set what you’re looking for.

I can’t offer the perspective of someone doing the hiring, but as a job seeker my philosophy is to use whatever media best presents my work. If my plan graphic looks better than any possible photo of the site, I’ll be using the plan graphic. If you have a decent photo but no plans or sketches, use the photo. There are no built project photos in my…[Read more]

There are at least a dozen ways to get from A to B in what you’re trying to do, and unfortunately what works for one person won’t always work for everyone else. A coworker and I had two very different methods for doing this and neither of us could ever get the other’s to work but our own process worked fine every time.

Nick’s link suggestion is…[Read more]

And now we really get to it, because I think liability is the core issue for the whole matter. Briefly, regarding the land use side of things, I LOVE the inherent danger = attracitve nuisance thing and I can’t wait for the day a lawyer refers to the Grand Canyon or other park as such. Actually, I suppose that already happens since some areas are…[Read more]

I’m roughly where you are career-wise, and I do still have some university pieces in my full portfolio. If they demonstrate something you have not been able or had opportunity to do professionally (a type of work or project, a particular skill), I see no reason they shouldn’t be there. Just be prepared to talk about why, because it will be noticed…[Read more]

I think your third paragraph really hits home on the crux of at least one major issue that spans both land use and design considerations when it comes to regulations and safety. Some of our (people in general, not just LAs) work and technology has lead to an increase in the accessibility of places that are inherently more dangerous. I think in…[Read more]

I would have gone into the “public health, safety, and welfare” phrase, but as I originally pointed out that didn’t seem to be the direction of the subject. I personally believe that in the design world we are a bit over-regulated in terms of protecting people from themselves and that whole lack of common sense and personal accountability. And I’d…[Read more]

I don’t think and wasn’t trying to imply you were even a bad citizen, let alone terrible. : ) But you do present a textbook example of why the regs exist and why they are important. They can’t post all the regs at each trailhead because of how many there are – it is your responsibility as a user to know the rules for any given area you plan to…[Read more]

The issue last September was a broken website. They upgraded the site and database and there were apparently ‘issues’. It was down for about six weeks if I recall right. I know this because it was right when I was laid off and needed it most. : ) Given that resumes are still being posted, I don’t think this latest drop in job postings is a…[Read more]

At first I thought your post might be more design regulation related – heights before guardrails are required, maximum slopes, allowance of retaining walls, location of detention/retention ponds, etc. In which case I would have said I certainly think so.

But after reading the full post, I can’t so easily agree. This seems more of a freedom of use…[Read more]