Comments on: Look in the Mirror http://powerfulpurpose.com/look-in-the-mirror-2 Fri, 18 May 2012 17:27:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: motagg http://powerfulpurpose.com/look-in-the-mirror-2/comment-page-1/#comment-264 motagg Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:23:39 +0000 http://powerfulpurposeblog.com/?p=251#comment-264 Bill, my many design colleagues complain about the upgrades that go on within Autodesk and cannot fathom the need or reason for it. I think Autodesk are like Microsoft in that they exist to make a profit and to coniinue to drive the profits. It is a problem. I have engineers who believe that Word 2007 is better than Word 2003: it is not better, it is different. It is a programmers dream really. I cannot imagine a computer programmer will be thrilled to spend his career looking after old products, they want new stuff. There was nothing wrong with Word95. The complications that ensued lost engineers and loyalty. Autodesk will hit that too but they have the profession Maybe subscription is the best way to go. I would like to learn more about this. Brian, you are so right, it is a mixed bag, regardless of the experience. It is just important that the younger ones are encouraged to learn, practise, share and ask questions without the spectre of the toxic personality that decides how to do your job. If you are free of this then your business is in good hands. I am not nostalgic for the old ways but I respect the prudence and knowledge I was taught. I miss the stories, the humour and the people who inspired me. I love the power of computers today to accelerate my work in productivity terms. Even ten years ago I would be given nine months to do a piperack that I might do in a week. I love the job I do and the myriad challenges and opportunities I face. In quality, I do think it is same or worse but we need to create an understanding of what we do and attract new blood. I know graduates enjoy what I teach and get excited and nothing beats the feeling of coming to work with butterflies in your stomach. I like the upcoming generation very much, they seem to have passion and ability. Thank you for your contributions. Bill,
my many design colleagues complain about the upgrades that go on within Autodesk and cannot fathom the need or reason for it.

I think Autodesk are like Microsoft in that they exist to make a profit and to coniinue to drive the profits. It is a problem. I have engineers who believe that Word 2007 is better than Word 2003: it is not better, it is different. It is a programmers dream really. I cannot imagine a computer programmer will be thrilled to spend his career looking after old products, they want new stuff. There was nothing wrong with Word95. The complications that ensued lost engineers and loyalty. Autodesk will hit that too but they have the profession Maybe subscription is the best way to go. I would like to learn more about this.

Brian,
you are so right, it is a mixed bag, regardless of the experience. It is just important that the younger ones are encouraged to learn, practise, share and ask questions without the spectre of the toxic personality that decides how to do your job. If you are free of this then your business is in good hands.

I am not nostalgic for the old ways but I respect the prudence and knowledge I was taught. I miss the stories, the humour and the people who inspired me.

I love the power of computers today to accelerate my work in productivity terms. Even ten years ago I would be given nine months to do a piperack that I might do in a week. I love the job I do and the myriad challenges and opportunities I face. In quality, I do think it is same or worse but we need to create an understanding of what we do and attract new blood. I know graduates enjoy what I teach and get excited and nothing beats the feeling of coming to work with butterflies in your stomach. I like the upcoming generation very much, they seem to have passion and ability.

Thank you for your contributions.

]]> By: Brian Hubel http://powerfulpurpose.com/look-in-the-mirror-2/comment-page-1/#comment-263 Brian Hubel Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:47:26 +0000 http://powerfulpurposeblog.com/?p=251#comment-263 Thank you for your comments everyone. I would like to both support and disaggree with your comments. I have been working for about 10 years in the geotechnical engineeiring field, and do continunously run into younger engineers that want to learn "SlopeW" or other similar geotechnical software, and yes these software are easy to use and are useful. However, many of these engineers do not understand the calculations, and often are struggling to resolve parameters that don't matter to the analysis or don't see whent heir results don't make sense. At the same time, I have come across some very junior engineers that do 'get it' Sometimes doing calculations by hand, sometimes using finite element routines effeciently and effectively. I also have run into very senior professionals, who also could do cacluations (by hand) but still don't get what they are doing as well as very senior professionals who understand every detail and use computer packages effectively. Yes things change..are engineers woorse or better than they used to be? I think nostalgia encourages the thought that things used to be better, but in actuality I would wager things are comparible today in terms of engineering quality. Thank you for your comments everyone. I would like to both support and disaggree with your comments. I have been working for about 10 years in the geotechnical engineeiring field, and do continunously run into younger engineers that want to learn “SlopeW” or other similar geotechnical software, and yes these software are easy to use and are useful. However, many of these engineers do not understand the calculations, and often are struggling to resolve parameters that don’t matter to the analysis or don’t see whent heir results don’t make sense. At the same time, I have come across some very junior engineers that do ‘get it’ Sometimes doing calculations by hand, sometimes using finite element routines effeciently and effectively.

I also have run into very senior professionals, who also could do cacluations (by hand) but still don’t get what they are doing as well as very senior professionals who understand every detail and use computer packages effectively.
Yes things change..are engineers woorse or better than they used to be? I think nostalgia encourages the thought that things used to be better, but in actuality I would wager things are comparible today in terms of engineering quality.

]]> By: Bill Izzo, PLS http://powerfulpurpose.com/look-in-the-mirror-2/comment-page-1/#comment-262 Bill Izzo, PLS Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:36:08 +0000 http://powerfulpurposeblog.com/?p=251#comment-262 Thank you for your evaluation. I would like to comment on your observations on the software upgrades. You mention Microsoft but in the Civil industry AutoDesk is the promenient component of our drafting and design tasks. The upgrades they have done have caused considerable inconvenience and cost to the industry. Small companies cannot absorb the cost of the training involved with their current upgrade to Civil3D. Granted once the learning curve is achieved, production can go up. But what about the next upgrade? More training, more down time, more overhead costs. Thank you for your evaluation. I would like to comment on your observations on the software upgrades. You mention Microsoft but in the Civil industry AutoDesk is the promenient component of our drafting and design tasks. The upgrades they have done have caused considerable inconvenience and cost to the industry. Small companies cannot absorb the cost of the training involved with their current upgrade to Civil3D. Granted once the learning curve is achieved, production can go up. But what about the next upgrade? More training, more down time, more overhead costs.

]]> By: Terrence http://powerfulpurpose.com/look-in-the-mirror-2/comment-page-1/#comment-261 Terrence Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:51:03 +0000 http://powerfulpurposeblog.com/?p=251#comment-261 Hi Motagg, You're absolutely right by these point of view... If we all couldn't keep them 'alive' for future generation, that's going to be a big problem for the rest of us especially safety and quality of life becomes priority. In the local newspaper that I've read telling that they required more of them and yet still lacking as the more experience and veteran seniors will be soon sitting on the beach chair and enjoy life while still can... A good friend of mine use to say, "it is not about how difficult the work might be, but it would be more difficult in handling people". Also it's getting unpopular perspective from outsider sometimes as they seeing it not as popular as other profession. Thank you again for the further clarification... Hi Motagg,

You’re absolutely right by these point of view… If we all couldn’t keep them ‘alive’ for future generation, that’s going to be a big problem for the rest of us especially safety and quality of life becomes priority. In the local newspaper that I’ve read telling that they required more of them and yet still lacking as the more experience and veteran seniors will be soon sitting on the beach chair and enjoy life while still can…

A good friend of mine use to say, “it is not about how difficult the work might be, but it would be more difficult in handling people”. Also it’s getting unpopular perspective from outsider sometimes as they seeing it not as popular as other profession. Thank you again for the further clarification…

]]> By: motagg http://powerfulpurpose.com/look-in-the-mirror-2/comment-page-1/#comment-260 motagg Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:56:49 +0000 http://powerfulpurposeblog.com/?p=251#comment-260 Shortage of the experienced engineers is the big story. It is happening now. All the more reason to concerned about the direction for the future. Management and designers believe they can keep replicating the past designs like a lego set so the engineer is just a necessary evil. Even the designers are getting pushed aside by the rise of the modellers. The march of technology and the masters of the machines are the project engineers. The construction team I work with, over a year now, are amazed that an engineer can actually be useful. Today, the problems and challenges are not the analysis but people; we have to work together to change that perception. Look in the mirror. Thank you for your comment Terrence. Shortage of the experienced engineers is the big story. It is happening now. All the more reason to concerned about the direction for the future.

Management and designers believe they can keep replicating the past designs like a lego set so the engineer is just a necessary evil. Even the designers are getting pushed aside by the rise of the modellers. The march of technology and the masters of the machines are the project engineers.

The construction team I work with, over a year now, are amazed that an engineer can actually be useful. Today, the problems and challenges are not the analysis but people; we have to work together to change that perception. Look in the mirror.

Thank you for your comment Terrence.

]]> By: Terrence http://powerfulpurpose.com/look-in-the-mirror-2/comment-page-1/#comment-259 Terrence Thu, 14 Jan 2010 02:35:07 +0000 http://powerfulpurposeblog.com/?p=251#comment-259 Thanks for the great post by Robert. Yes indeed and agreed with the point of view. Nowadays, the task of engineers is getting more and more. Nonetheless, our supplies of engineers are still lacking in many field and in few years time we oath to have more of them. Shortage of engineers would be big story next time... Thanks for the great post by Robert. Yes indeed and agreed with the point of view. Nowadays, the task of engineers is getting more and more. Nonetheless, our supplies of engineers are still lacking in many field and in few years time we oath to have more of them. Shortage of engineers would be big story next time…

]]> By: motagg http://powerfulpurpose.com/look-in-the-mirror-2/comment-page-1/#comment-258 motagg Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:12:19 +0000 http://powerfulpurposeblog.com/?p=251#comment-258 It is important to understand the legacy of our environment today because we are creating the future now with what we know, or don't know. I should be smoking a pipe and talking with a funny accent like my Yorkshire grandad, reminiscing about the Romans in Doncaster. MathCAD is indeed a whole other post!I will be happy to tackle that! It is important to understand the legacy of our environment today because we are creating the future now with what we know, or don’t know.

I should be smoking a pipe and talking with a funny accent like my Yorkshire grandad, reminiscing about the Romans in Doncaster.

MathCAD is indeed a whole other post!I will be happy to tackle that!

]]> By: Anthony Fasano http://powerfulpurpose.com/look-in-the-mirror-2/comment-page-1/#comment-257 Anthony Fasano Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:47:09 +0000 http://powerfulpurposeblog.com/?p=251#comment-257 Great post, thanks Robert. It's nice to hear about the history of the profession, a history that many younger engineers haven't experienced. On another note, I know a lot of engineers that use Mathcad for their calculations, what are your thoughts on Mathcad? Or maybe thats a whole other post :) Great post, thanks Robert. It’s nice to hear about the history of the profession, a history that many younger engineers haven’t experienced.

On another note, I know a lot of engineers that use Mathcad for their calculations, what are your thoughts on Mathcad? Or maybe thats a whole other post :)

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