I don't know about the rest of ya'll. But does it seem like POB only does reviews of equipment that pay them? I don't ever really see comparison articles with similar setups from different manufacturers. I know they are free and have bills to pay like us. But what if they actually did in depth, unbiased evaluations of equipment with specs, utilities, new features for the common crew's setups. I think of Motors Magazine, or Cars. Even Backpacker magazine has a yearly equipment edition all about equipment. They all have test driven, rated and reviewed the cars or equpment in a certain class or to fit a certain budget. Why doesn't POB? Or is this one of those situations where I get a thousand links to articles written? Just been thinking about this because we are looking at some equipment and I saw a Carlson robot (really it's a Leica), but I didn't even know Carlson had their own robot.... Am I missing something?
POB subscriptions are free.
When American Surveyor started up they asked for a subscription fee for the first year. I actually hoped they would continue to do so, but they haven't. These are trade magazines, bought and payed for by the advertisers - 100%.
Did you know that POB Magazine started off as a supplement to the Allen Precision Equipment catalog?
I remember in years past the issues would have a comparison of most every new major piece of equipment most every other month from total station to software.
Every new leadership travels their own new road.
Not so. POB started out as a newsletter from Technical Advisors, mainly to the users of their time share computer system. I have several of these newsletters in my files.
> I remember in years past the issues would have a comparison of most every new major piece of equipment most every other month from total station to software.
>
> Every new leadership travels their own new road.
They do travel their own road, and I don't mean to bitch or surmise, but it would be awfully nice if just once a year they took the years typical robotic from every manufacturer and gave them field runs, same for gps, total stations, laser scanners and autonomous flying vehicles. Just wishing!!
> Not so. POB started out as a newsletter from Technical Advisors, mainly to the users of their time share computer system. I have several of these newsletters in my files.
My statement was based on this article from the Feb 2005 edition of the magazine, which must not have been entirely accurate. But the main point remains true, that the thing started as an advertising supplement.
When I can get a chance, I will locate the early issues and take a look at them and do a scan and post one on the site.
> > I remember in years past the issues would have a comparison of most every new major piece of equipment most every other month from total station to software.
> >
> > Every new leadership travels their own new road.
>
> They do travel their own road, and I don't mean to bitch or surmise, but it would be awfully nice if just once a year they took the years typical robotic from every manufacturer and gave them field runs, same for gps, total stations, laser scanners and autonomous flying vehicles. Just wishing!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
C. Tompkins, (cousin, my mother is a Tompkins from GA, Americus and Albany areas)
Write to Kristi with your idea and volunteer to do it if the manufacturers supply the equipment for a week.
The two reviews that I did were for free, and I gave the equipment back when I was done. I received nothing, and as far as I know, POB did not receive a fee for the articles.
Read Marc Cheeves letter from American Surveyor! These mags don't have writers, they depend on us to provide articles! Write something, do something to make it better!
I really like your idea, if you don't follow up then I might!!
Cousin Don...
That would be a hoot!
Thanks cuz. I still have to track the Tompkins to Albany, still not sure. I think I will ask her. I think it would be a great if something like that ever did come out.