And these folks call themselves Professionals

Geospatial Professionals are about as exciting as Civil Engineers.

Thanks Don 😉

> Geospatial Professionals are about as exciting as Civil Engineers.
>
> Thanks Don 😉

Hub,

That is exactly what was going on in my head, while reading that

That there is a big difference between the Global Community of Geospatial Professionals and real land surveyors

Boy, some peoples' ignorance

Is there something inherently unprofessional about choosing a specific role in the land surveying world and then sticking with it? Being very effective at it. Getting the job done and providing what the clients need.

We do not all have to be fully aware of everything that is a part of the massive area of service known as surveying. For example, I do not need to know all the ins and outs of skyscraper and subway tunnel construction methods. Meanwhile, Scott Zelenak doesn't need to worry about identifying precisely which variety of tree one is looking at and trying to decide if it might be the record corner tree. I don't need to know how to most efficiently get in and out of helicopters while packing 100 lbs. of survey gear. Meanwhile, Daryl Moistner probably has little interest in doing a basic mortgagee title inspection on a standard tract house in a standard subdivision in Dullsville, USA.

Holly Cow, that was much more eloquent than what I said.

I guess I'm just not so professional here in Dullsville, doing ALTA & Mortgage Surveys

Great post, Holy.

And I doubt professionals elsewhere would have any need for someone
who can stake out a lot based on a deed written in Hawaiian in the 1800's,
with distances in chains and compass bearings.

To be fair, I am supposing that their professional interest is actually a very simple one: to have coordinates on everything ever located. And, that does seem like something that will probably happen in the future.

They have wandered further from the herd. More specialized, less ballanced. Yep. that could be me....

N

It is probably more professional to call you and/or your buddies "professor".

I think you're missing the point. Working a niche is what makes most of you successful business men, but you know about other disciplines. You may not be experts in those fields but you know what they are.

I enjoy listening to a little country music on my favorite local radio station. List the top 50 most popular rock, rap or heavy metal recording artists and I might recognize a handful or less.

Agreed - I was going to post something about the original post having a very condescending tone and maybe even ask Wendell to make a new category labeled POMPOUS, but I decided not to post anything at all....

A Professional in any field insures that he/she is well versed enough in their endeavor to perform at a level of competence that insures accuracy in what they do. Being well versed in one field is fine, BUT a professional will keep track of what is going on in all areas of his/her field. There's new stuff out there. What is it? Will it benefit what you do? Can it make your job easier and more accurate? Is it worth looking into. Not all of the new stuff will do you any good, but some of it might. You NEED to know what is available and what it does. You can NEVER learn too much.
If I took the attitude that I see expressed here, I would still be usiong an Astroscribe 2000 with sapphire tips to engrave scribcoats and cutting peelcoates to make my maps. While I do miss those days it is no longer the best way to do my job. I have had to learn computers and several software packages. It's all part of professional growth. You either grow or you stagnate. If you ain't the lead dog the scenery never changes.

Dude, you're taking some heat here.

I think they all missed the point of "being aware of your surroundings" even if you choose not to specialize in it. I don't think you were insinuating that the other guy wasn't a good surveyor, just lacking in knowledge that he will/should have to have to continue on in our profession.

I hear ya Larry, GIS is a huge game changing force in the world, they have stolen the "public perception" and confidence with regards to who is the masters of maps and geography in the world.

I think the fact that a modern day surveyor has no clue or interest whatsoever about GIS is not prudent and is an indicator that they are living contently inside a bubble and not participating in the revolution of map making .

That being said it does not make them unprofessional in the niche of land surveying, just not very broadly educated or naturally curious about a huge development occuring immediatley adjacent to the boundaries of their profession.

What elephant, I see nothing?

I agree with everything you said except for the part about not making them unprofessional. The very definition of professional includes the words you used, broadly educated.

We get so hung-up on "Professional". Apply the same scenario to other professions that some of us so desperately want to be considered as peers; doctors, attorneys, engineers, etc. Do they understand acronyms from other disciplines related to their professions?

>
> I guess I shouldn't be shocked. A year ago I wore an N.S.P.S. shirt to one of our seminars. One of the guys asked me what NSPS was. Of the 22 PLS's present half had no clue what NSPS might be.
>
> Here I was thinking if we wanted to call ourselves professional we were expected to keep up with things like this. Not saying we all should be experts on these matters but dang guys we should at least know what they are.
>
> Larry P

Larry,
Although I agree with you general point, I have to wonder why a lot of surveyors don't know what NSPS is. Do you think that NSPS could be partially responsible for that?

Maybe not. They may not be experts in those other fields, BUT they do know that those other fields exist and what they are.

Perhaps part of the reason some wish to criticize my expressed view is related to our definition of the word Professional.

Blacks Law Dictionary defines Professional as:

A vocation requiring advanced education and training: esp., one of the three traditional learned professions - law, medicine and the ministry.

Viewed in that context I believe this person (and anyone else) who has not kept themselves up to date with important happenings in the profession no longer meet the definition. Notice I did not say he had to own Lidar equipment and ground penetrating radar and have all the latest versions of software related to surveying. But how can anyone be considered competent in the profession if they never even heard of GIS software. (By the way there is NO OTHER WAY to do proper deed research in his home county without using GIS software.)

Sorry guys, call me pompous if you wish but those who put on horse blinders every morning and go out of their way to live in the past and not learn anything new are not worthy of the title Professional.

Larry P

> Do you think that NSPS could be partially responsible for that?

No doubt about it.

Having said that, how does NSPS reach someone who has their eyes, ears and mind closed? Some people seem to actively work toward not learning anything new.

Hope things are well in your world.

Larry P