#Land Mapping software

[cyberswift-story]

From stress to success! Digital Land Management System - LAMS is the hero we all need! 😎

[evernauts-if]

Did someone say ground map?

[infycons]

Topographic Survey Software

AutoPlotter Advanced delivers an affordable solution for everyday land surveying needs. Built on the powerful DTM engine of its Pro counterpart, it seamlessly processes data from total stations, GPS, or similar instruments. Generate professional topographic and contour maps, perform traverse adjustments, and coordinate conversion. Its built-in CAD tools let you create complete drawings, while features like instant map creation and 3D terrain views accelerate your workflow. Easy to learn and use, AutoPlotter Advanced is ideal for surveyors seeking productivity and affordability.

[prototechsolutionsblog]

How CAD Technology Transforms Accuracy and Efficiency in Land Surveying

Land surveying is a critical process in the fields of construction, engineering, and land development. It involves measuring and mapping the terrestrial or three-dimensional space to determine boundaries, land features, and property lines. Traditionally, land surveying relied heavily on manual techniques and rudimentary tools, leading to time-consuming and often error-prone results. However, with the advent of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) technology, the landscape of land surveying has transformed dramatically. CAD has brought about significant improvements in accuracy and efficiency, revolutionizing the industry. In this blog post, we will delve into the various ways CAD enhances land surveying and explore its benefits in detail.

The Role of CAD in Land Surveying

CAD, or Computer-Aided Design, is a technology used for creating, modifying, analyzing, and optimizing designs. In the context of land surveying, CAD software helps surveyors create detailed and precise maps and plans of land areas. The integration of CAD in land surveying involves the use of specialized software that allows surveyors to input data, process measurements, and generate accurate digital representations of physical spaces.

Enhanced Accuracy

One of the most significant advantages of CAD in land surveying is the enhanced accuracy it provides. Traditional surveying methods often involved manual calculations and hand-drawn maps, which were susceptible to human error. In contrast, CAD software offers tools that automate many of these processes, reducing the likelihood of mistakes. Here are some ways CAD improves accuracy:

1. Precision in Measurements: CAD software can handle and process complex mathematical calculations with precision. Surveyors can input raw data collected from the field directly into the software, which then accurately converts these measurements into detailed maps and models. This eliminates errors associated with manual data entry and calculation.

2. Detailed and Scalable Maps: CAD allows for the creation of highly detailed and scalable maps. Surveyors can zoom in and out without losing accuracy, enabling them to examine specific areas closely and ensure every detail is accounted for. This level of detail is crucial for identifying potential issues and making informed decisions.

3. Real-Time Data Processing: Modern CAD software can process data in real time, providing surveyors with immediate feedback. This capability allows for quick adjustments and corrections in the field, ensuring that the final survey is as accurate as possible.

4. Integration with GPS and GIS: CAD software often integrates seamlessly with Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. This integration allows surveyors to import precise location data directly into their CAD models, further enhancing accuracy and providing a comprehensive view of the surveyed area.

Increased Efficiency

Efficiency is another key area where CAD excels in land surveying. The traditional surveying process was labor-intensive and time-consuming, often requiring surveyors to spend days or even weeks in the field. CAD technology streamlines many aspects of this process, leading to significant time savings and increased productivity. Here’s how CAD boosts efficiency in land surveying:

1. Automated Data Processing: CAD software can automate many of the repetitive and time-consuming tasks involved in land surveying. For example, it can automatically generate contour lines, calculate areas and volumes, and create cross-sections. This automation reduces the workload on surveyors and speeds up the overall process.

2. Simplified Data Management: Managing large amounts of data can be challenging, especially in large-scale land surveying projects. CAD software offers robust data management tools that allow surveyors to organize, store, and retrieve data easily. This simplifies the workflow and ensures that all information is readily accessible when needed.

3. Collaborative Capabilities: CAD software often includes collaborative features that enable multiple team members to work on the same project simultaneously. This collaborative approach enhances communication and coordination, leading to faster completion times and fewer misunderstandings.

4. Efficient Fieldwork: With CAD, surveyors can use mobile devices and specialized equipment to collect data in the field more efficiently. This data can be uploaded to the CAD software on the go, reducing the need for repeated site visits and minimizing downtime.

Visualization and Analysis

Visualization and analysis are critical components of land surveying, and CAD technology excels in these areas as well. The ability to create detailed visual representations of surveyed areas and perform in-depth analyses is invaluable for surveyors, engineers, and developers. Here are some ways CAD enhances visualization and analysis:

1. 3D Modeling: CAD software enables surveyors to create three-dimensional models of land areas. These 3D models provide a realistic representation of the terrain, allowing for better analysis and planning. Stakeholders can visualize the land’s topography, identify potential challenges, and make informed decisions based on accurate data.

2. Overlaying Data: CAD allows for the overlaying of different types of data on a single map. For example, surveyors can combine topographical data with utility lines, property boundaries, and environmental features. This comprehensive view helps in identifying potential conflicts and planning accordingly.

3. Simulation and Scenario Planning: CAD software can simulate various scenarios and predict their outcomes. For instance, surveyors can model the impact of construction on a particular area, assess potential drainage issues, or analyze the effects of environmental changes. This capability aids in proactive planning and risk management.

4. Detailed Reports and Documentation: CAD software can generate detailed reports and documentation based on the surveyed data. These reports can include measurements, calculations, maps, and 3D models, providing a comprehensive overview of the surveyed area. Such documentation is essential for legal, regulatory, and planning purposes.

Cost Savings

The improvements in accuracy, efficiency, and visualization brought about by CAD also translate into significant cost savings. By reducing errors and streamlining processes, CAD helps surveyors and their clients save money in various ways:

1. Reduced Rework: Accurate surveys mean fewer mistakes and less rework. Errors in traditional surveys often led to costly revisions and delays. CAD minimizes these errors, ensuring that the project stays on schedule and within budget.

2. Optimized Resource Allocation: Efficient data processing and management allow surveyors to optimize the use of resources, including time, labor, and equipment. This optimization leads to cost savings and better project management.

3. Minimized Site Visits: With the ability to process and analyze data remotely, CAD reduces the need for multiple site visits. This not only saves time but also reduces travel and labor costs.

4. Improved Decision-Making: Accurate and detailed surveys provide valuable insights that aid in decision-making. This leads to better project planning, fewer unforeseen issues, and more efficient use of resources, all of which contribute to cost savings.

Future Prospects of CAD in Land Surveying

As technology continues to advance, the role of CAD in land surveying is expected to grow even more significant. Emerging technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), drones, and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) are being integrated with CAD software, further enhancing its capabilities. Here are some future prospects for CAD in land surveying:

1. Integration with Drones: Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras and LiDAR sensors can capture detailed aerial imagery and topographical data. This data can be imported into CAD software for precise mapping and analysis. The use of drones reduces the time and effort required for fieldwork and provides access to hard-to-reach areas.

2. Building Information Modeling (BIM): BIM is a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a building. Integrating BIM with CAD allows for a seamless transition from land surveying to construction planning and management. This integration improves collaboration between surveyors, architects, and engineers, leading to more efficient project execution.

3. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): AR and VR technologies can enhance the visualization capabilities of CAD software. Surveyors and stakeholders can use AR and VR to explore 3D models in an immersive environment, gaining a better understanding of the terrain and potential challenges. This immersive experience aids in decision-making and improves communication.

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning: AI and machine learning algorithms can analyze large datasets quickly and accurately. When integrated with CAD, these technologies can automate complex analyses, identify patterns, and predict potential issues. This capability enhances the efficiency and accuracy of land surveying.

Conclusion

CAD has revolutionized the field of land surveying by improving accuracy, efficiency, and visualization capabilities. The precision and automation offered by CAD software reduce errors and streamline processes, leading to significant time and cost savings. As technology continues to evolve, the integration of CAD with emerging technologies such as drones, BIM, AR, VR, and AI will further enhance its capabilities, making land surveying even more efficient and accurate. For surveyors, engineers, and developers, embracing CAD technology is not just an option but a necessity for staying competitive and delivering high-quality results in today's fast-paced and demanding environment.

[communistkenobi]

people in the notes of that boycott post acting like academia is this wholly separate thing from the state lmfao. this is an even more insane claim to make about the social sciences, which are one of the main faculties being boycotted. what social scientific research do you think is being produced in a settler colonial state actively conducting genocide? like there is such a wildly out of touch perception that social scientists & humanities academics are these vanguards of progressivism holding the hordes of ignorant conservatives at bay. the decades-old reactionary claim that the university is a commie hive-mind has been fully internalised by the general population. social science departments are some of the most right wing places I’ve ever worked in precisely because they are an extension of the state. whether they’re publicly or privately funded, research grants and student funding and hiring decisions and research agendas and equipment purchases and conferences and software licensing are structured to accommodate the desires of the people who fund them. the fact that they do a land acknowledgement before teaching you how to produce optimal statistical models and crime maps for local police departments doesn’t mean these places are somehow less materially implicated in oppression. academia is an intellectual arm of the state and the only moral response to israel committing unprecedented levels of violence murder and destruction is to boycott said arm of the state

[rboooks]

DC x DP: The Adoptive Son

Danny Fenton gets lost in the Infinite Releams and without the Infinite Map, he has no hope finding his way home.

After wandering for weeks, he quickly realizes his human side is dying from lack of food and stress. With a heavy heart, he crashes lands in a new world, desperate for rest.

A new world that was seemed to behind in terms of technology. But he's not afraid of helping the world catch up if it means finding a way home.

He crashed in the middle of nowhere forest and after three days of walking by foot- too worn out to fly- he comes across Gotham.

Taking a page out of Vlad's book- as much as it makes him feel sick- he possesses people to get himself set up in the new world. He needs to find somewhere with enough money that he can build a S.O.S for his friends to find him.

And he needs resources to survive.

He finds a wealthy family who is so invested in breaking each other apart they didn't notice their sudden ease in wanting to adopt Danny.

Seemingly overnight, the Crowne family went from slowly collapsing to once more being at the top due to their adopted son Danny Crowne's genius mind. Despite his young age, his adoptive father allowed him to turn the family business from fashion design to medical and technical advances.

At age fourteen he sat within the board meetings slowly but surely taking over and raising the company's stocks and power.

They developed the first heart pumps, made leaps and bounds in cancer treatment, and created software and computer programs that and their prosthetics were the most advanced in the world.

There were rumors that the head design for all engineering projects- including the prosthetics- were all done by Danny Crowne. They were never confirmed.

Even business deals done by the Crownes were suspiciously so far in their favor many believed they were making deals with the multiple families of Gotham's underbelly.

That was also never proven.

Despite all the whispers about him, Danny Crowne was considered one of the brightest minds in Gotham. Everyone who spoke to him claimed he was a soft-spoken gentleman and was even compared to royalty from his regal composition.

Personally, Bruce has always had a bad feeling about Danny Crowne. He knows the boy is off in some way, all his Instincts scream danger when he's around.

At first, he was ecstatic to hear the Crownes had also adopted an orphan from a poor background. It had been a few years after he had gotten his ward, Dick. Despite it being five years since he first accepted Dick into his home, his ward had not made any friends besides Barbara Gordon. None of the elite children gave Dick the time of day pass making passive aggressive comments about him.

Then the news of Danny Crowne broke, and everyone knew he had practically been picked off the streets after the CPS had forced him into the juvenile hall as the only place that had space for him.

Just like Dick.

He had hoped that a similar past would help the two boys bond. He had tried pushing Dick into speaking to Danny, and had gone out of his way to personally invite the young man to a party he threw for all of Dicks classmates.

The first thing Danny Crowne did upon arriving at his house was step away from the crowd and study Bruce's home wiring. Dick later told him Danny made him feel strange, like the other boy would be one the loons they stopped during the night.

Bruce, stop pushing for their friendship.

Time moved on, but Crownes only grew in power, and by the time he took in Jason, Danny Crowne inherited his family assets after his adoptive parents mysterious deaths.

They began to look into Danny after Nightwing had discovered a trail of dangerous experiments from shell companies that all led back to Crowne Co. Jason also mentioned that a lot of street kids disappeared after Danny Crowne had turn his sights on them with a new charity program his company ran.

No one knew what happened to the kids and no one in the legal system seemed to care.

Bruce thought about the Crownes rise to wealth and felt sick. Had Danny been running a trafficking ring since his adoption? Had that escaped Batman's notice for four years?

Despite the fact they were still at eachother throats, both Bruce and Dick agreed to work togther to bring Danny Crowne down. How?

Simple.

Danny Crowne was openly bisexual and, according to Jason, who was half-raised by working girls, his eyes always followed Dick around the room.

Operation Honey Pot was a go.

(Danny didn't mean to stay here for four years but had built himself a home, and no natural portals were opening. He figured he could secretly construct his while helping abused kids find safe ways out of the city and start new lives. Technically illegal, no one had batted an eye when the kids vanished, so he figured getting them somewhere safe was more important. Indeed Batman had better things to do than track down kids in better foster homes. He test-ran the homes himself before placing the children. Yes, overshadowing made him feel bad, but he rather experienced the house before overshadowing the social workers into legalizing the stay under new names. He was sick of them sticking kids in juvenile halls just cause other foster homes were "out of jurisdiction".

At least his charities helped the age out kids succeed in life.

Now why was handsome Dick Grayson winking at him??? Gosh, that made him more nervous than all the lessons Clockwork forced him to take back when he was training to take the Ghost Throne. The classes helped him become one of the best CEO in the world, but they were also the reason he got into this whole mess to begin with. At least he looked regal when he spoke. )

( Part 2 ) (part 3)

[ranticore]

visored longwing harpies & the hall of faces

I did say there was no exclusive global culture on Siren shared by humans of a certain body type, and I lied, because there is One.

The early settlers on Siren were the unaltered human workforce of a certain megacorporation. While an almost unlimited budget was poured into the dodgy gene programs, since that was why they chose to settle a planet so far out of the reach of The Authorities, everything else was done pretty cheaply, including the settling itself. In order to map out their new home planet, incredibly cheap mass-produced aircraft were used by pilots. These aircraft could be made quickly and easily at the settlement site because they lacked a flight computer or any real sensors - or any equipment at all in the cockpit. Rather than a multitude of different equipment loadouts on an aircraft that would take time and effort to swap out or maintain, the pilots instead used these visors which were universally compatible with the one-size-fits-all aircraft. It's kind of like how it's easier to just carry a phone around with a calculator app than it is to carry a phone and a calculator, even if the phone app calculator experience sucks by comparison.

The visors were the real expensive kit, each custom built to a pilot's exact needs and flight style, and they were built to last. the aircraft fell apart in the following centuries but the visors remained, hyperlight plastic powered by the planet's native star, and something interesting happened. The remains of the first settlement were largely inaccessible to anyone but longwing harpies, and these harpies had the right head shape to fit the visors. Many of the pilots had filled their visors with video and photo files from home, from Earth, like a worker decorating his cubicle with photos of his family. Some had been decorated on the outside, as well, resembling birds. The harpies that found the visors obviously tried to use them. They found themselves experiencing visions of strange worlds, recordings of long-dead pilots and ATC, and found that each visor can interface with every other one, no matter how far apart. Each visor came with its own callsign, its own name, which has remained for thousands of years - and because of this, each visor is considered by the cultures of Siren to be a named character with a distinct personality (eg. the swan visor was cygnus2, it is known now as Signastoo)

I keep posting the map and it needs to be redrawn but essentially every red triangle is an ancient telecomm tower. These became the only remaining waypoints on the visors' HUD and mapping software, meaning that 1. a true global culture could emerge, with longwings gathering at these sites, and 2. visored longwings became the gold standard for navigation on Siren. In a world that is basically just water, that's a big deal.

There exist only a few thousand visors (about 3k I'd say). The unused visors are kept in the Hall of Faces, the ancient aviation bay at the first settlement in West. Because of how water levels and land structures have changed over the years, this building exists on a mesa that rises another few thousand feet out of the water, with sheer sides, and is utterly inaccessible to anyone but a longwing harpy. When a visored harpy dies, the visor is returned here. If you want to claim a visor, you need to hold an interview with one of the elders at the site, who will test you rigorously to see if you can inhabit the character of one of the visors. If not, too bad. If you do get it, it's yours until either you die or you do something considered 'out of character' for the wearer of that particular visor. It is DEEPLY discouraged to steal a visor off anyone because it would be largely impossible, given how they all can communicate (imagine a gigantic worldwide discord server where the location & name of every person is known at all times... the drama is likely insane but at least if someone steals a visor, everyone will know about it)

not every longwing desires a visor because it comes with a lot of responsibility alongside its automatic prestige, and you can't really give it up once you have it. also there's always the possibility of being diagnosed with a super annoying, glitchy, or hated visor character lol. but among the roughly 2700 visored harpies on Siren there does exist a global culture exclusive to them. they chat to one another long-distance, engage in closed-practice ceremonies where they all get high and look at videos of Earth, and essentially become a class outside the mundanity of normal life on Siren. to the rest of the population, they basically become telepathic wizards

Terwyef's visor (first pic) is called Scrappercharlee and is one of the more common models, tho it has been decorated over the years with extra bits. Scrappercharlee is a bit busted and half the HUD is missing. Miakef's visor (second pic) Signastoo is one of the very fancy and well-known ones, it's shaped like a swan's head and likely belonged to a high-ranking pilot who could afford a bit of frippery and showmanship back in the day. Birds do not exist on Siren and harpies are mammals so the swan itself is symbolically meaningless, but the bird-style visors introduce the idea of 'a bird' in the abstract, and this has been imbued with its own form of meaning by harpies.

[miquellaluciscaelum]

A bunch of brainworms about dlc. Speculations, theories, my personal opinion, which I think I will stick to until the release of dlc.

Miquella.

(1) The main plot is that we go after Miquella. It is not yet very clear for what purpose and who sent us there, but judging by the voice at the end, it could be Ranni or Melina, or even Miquella himself. Voice is quite feminine.

(2) Miquella is likely to be our companion, as Melina was, or we will follow some messages from him, maybe meet his followers who will guide us, since the announcement says that we will be "guided by Miquella" and "meet others who follow in miquella footsteps".

(3) I'm not sure if we will have the opportunity to fight with him or not, but the last scene where we see the first shot of him where he's literally SHINING, can be both the ending cutscene of the dlc and the beginning of the bossfight.

(4) It's likely he will look the same with his first concept art appearence, because the hairstyle with braids and his skin, they are very similar.

(5) If this tree in the Shadow realm is the Crucible of life that I explain below in my theory, it is quite possible that Miquella came to this world for obtaining its power or something like that, it is also quite possible that he goes there because he knows that Marika has hidden something in this world, something very important.

(6) Overall, Miquella's trip to these lands seems like a pretty desperate move to me. He literally commits a very terrible sin by "divesting himself of his flesh, his strength, his lineage. Of all thing Golden". It sounds like he finally broke all his connection with the golden order and his family, including his blood connection with MALENIA that sounds crazy, and he also renounces his power, as I understand, magical and which is hidden in his blood. In my head, it looks very similar to what Ranni did, killing her body and moving her soul into a doll. It's just that Miquella killed his body or left it and moved his mind into this hidden world with the help of the power of sleep and dreams. I repeat, it seems to me some kind of desperate last step, perhaps he felt that his transformation was interrupted by Mogh and was no longer possible to complete because of his poisoned body, maybe he felt that his tree had died or something like that.

(7) Most likely, based on the words that Miquella is "awaits the return of his promised Lord", he cannot leave this realm on his own, either because he is captured by someone, maybe Messmer, either because his initial plan failed and he simply does not have enough power to return. So he's waiting for the promised lord. Here we have at least two options:

- This opens for us consort ending, but with Miquella, he will essentially be an alternative for Ranni, because he is also an Empyrean just with other purposes. And can replace Marika as a vessel of the Elden ring like Ranni. This is also supported by rumor that From software wanted to make another extra ending - the Age of Abundance, but either they cut it out at the end, or maybe abandoned the idea.

- I also saw the option that it could be Godwin as promised Lord, to whom Miquella could bring the true death, it can be the reason why he came to this world initially.

World.

(1) We are going into the world of shadows and it seems that this is not Miquella's dream or the Erdtree afterlife or something else, as many assumed earlier, but some kind of hidden realm that is not accessible to ordinary people and may be either under the map, or as some people suggest, either be at the intersection of all towers where we activated great runes, behind a large cloud on the map.

(2) Very important, some kind there once was Marika in this shadow realm, as mentioned in the summary of the game's plot in the announcement: " a place obscured by the Erdtree where the goddess Marika first set foot". Perhaps this world was her home before she became a goddess, or she ruled these lands before they were hidden, apparently during some kind of war: "a land purge in an unsung battle". It was quite possible that it was the war with giants, given some of the symbols hinting at it in Messmer + flame magic.

(3) Looking at the baldachin over the tree and keeping in mind its similarity to Marika's chambers in the capital before Morgott, I think that perhaps Marika herself made these lands forbidden or closed from others with this baldachin barrier, so the theory that Messmer may be an unwanted or forgotten demigod-child of Marika, left in this shadow world, as Marika's dark secret, has some basis. This is also hinted at a special dungeon in Leamgrave, Impaled Catacombs, thanks super lore guys in twitter!

(4) Speaking of the secrets of Marika, the tree at the center of this realm. I have a lot of thoughts about this. It may be wild, but I assume that this could be the Crucible of life or what's left of it. That golden liquid that flows down is the power of the Crucible that goes out into the world. In the Lands between, due to the overwhelming influence of the Erdtree and the Golden order, its power is almost not felt, and can only manifests itself in the birth of Omen children, but in THIS world, the world of shadows, we see signs of the influence of the Crucible: horns, spells and etc in almost all creatures. Thus, Marika could lock the tree in a separate dimension, hoping that it would soon die on its own and its influence would finally dry up, but it is still alive. Or, of course, it can simply be a reflection of the Erdtree in the dark world, if we consider the theory that the world of shadows is a reflection of the real world. I definitely don't think it's Miquella's tree, because it has absolutely no reason to be one.

(5) I also want to note the time in this story, chronology is quite a mess in Elden ring in principle, but according the trailer, a significant place in this shadow world is occupied by some faction associated with Saint Trina, and therefore with Miquella. That suggests that either Miquella came to this world quite a long time ago to be able to organize and build his own order or something like that, either time goes faster there than in the main game, which is quite interesting.

(6) Speaking of factions in this world, there are at least a few: the faction of Saint Trina (we saw a knight who fought with some kind of sleepy magic, although it could be a gravity spell because of lightning🤔) but there were lilies on his armor🤷), we also saw someone very similar to a Carian woman in a room similar to Raya Lucaria, more than that there are architectural elements of the Carian architecture and the architecture of Sellia, which means Kariya faction. Almost forgot, we also can see Moon in one shot.

Perhaps Messmer has his own faction, most likely ruling in this dimension. And also there are some coincidences in how the branch that the elderly man pulls out of his body looks, with the shape of candlesticks that some enemies fight with and the symbol on the black knight in the form of a pointed branch or rune. These all symbols are black and golden. Probably this is some kind of pro-erdtree faction, followers of the Great order and Marika. The color scheme echoes Marika and Maliket at least. From the voice lines we can assume that in this shadow realm there are followers or Erdtree faithful and those who opposite them, perhaps it can be even active conflict in present time and wars in the past.

Messmer.

I see for myself two working variants of his origin:

(1) Marika and Radagon. Since he has a rather distinctive appearance, the theory of butterflies in the game, where the smoldering butterflies actually refer to him, and not to Melina; more than that when he addresses to his mother and talks about Lordship, I don't think anyone other than Marika has the authority to make a man the Elden Lord; and in the scene with him, there is a statue of a woman with a child behind his back, the woman is difficult to see, but by the location of the bracelets on her arm, you can compare her with the statues of Marika in the main game;

(2) Gloam-eyed queen. The portrait of a woman with an elderly man refers to this, the woman in the picture with dark hair, she holds her hand on her stomach as if she is pregnant; Messmer has some similarities with the "children" of Gloam-eyed queen - the apostles; he uses a very strange black and red flame.

(3) The theories that Messmer is some part of Miquella or he himself look strange to me, considering that we have known for a long time from the main game that there was some other child of Marika that we don't know about, we just used to think this was Melina. According to the announcements, although indirectly, we can assume that this shadow world and Messmer existed for a long time, perhaps even before the birth of Miquella and Malenia, probably Messmer was exiled there for blasphemy or something like that.

(4) l also don't think Messmer is Miquella's son or Mogh and Miquella somehow had a child together. I think all the influence of Mogh in this dlc will be directly related to his influence on Miquella. I don't think he's affected the world around him, everything that happens in this world, I think should be the influence of the Crucible of life and Messmer directly, perhaps some other forces, but not Mogh.

I'm sorry all of this is such a mess, like in my head after trailer. I'd be glad to see your comment and theories too, maybe you can challenge some of my theories, it gives them extra development and I could add something later. So thank you for attention.

[ranmagender]

[ID: A background image of a paper texture, on top of it is a landmass in the shape of a blobous land and on it are various shapes in colored outlines. Starting with a green shape labelled Numberland to the leftmost of it. above it is a larger shape thats labeled Chromava, below Numberland is another shape labeled Alphabetia thats dark red. To the right of Chromava is a small shape that sort of looks like a puzzle piece labeled Puzzos which is blue. Underneath that and to the right of Numberland is a gray circle, written underneath it is Noiset and to the right of both Puzzos and Noiset is a shape thats sort of like three petals in shape, its dark pink and labeled Petalland, directly underneath that is a large vaguely shield like outline labelled Stickoro END ID]

Working on a map of Formenta.

Numberland Land of Numbers Chromava Land of Colored Blobs Alphabetia Land of Letters Puzzos Land of Puzzles Petalland Land of Flowers Stickoro Land of Stick figures Noiset Land of Fog beings

I enjoy making maps and do so all the time in a software called Wonderdraft, its not free but I'd recommend it.

[phoenixyfriend]

Ko-fi prompt from @thisarenotarealblog:

There's a street near me that has eight car dealerships all on the same lot- i counted. it mystifies me that even one gets enough sales to keep going- but 8?? is there something you can tell me that demystifies this aspect of capitalism for me?

I had a few theories going in, but had to do some research. Here is my primary hypothesis, and then I'll run through what they mean and whether research agrees with me:

Sales make up only part of a dealership's income, so whether or not the dealership sells much is secondary to other factors.

Dealerships are put near each other for similar reasons to grouping clothing stores in a mall or restaurants on a single street.

Zoning laws impact where a car dealership can exist.

Let's start with how revenue works for a car dealership, as you mentioned 'that even one gets enough sales to keep going' is confusing. For this, I'm going to be using the Sharpsheets finance example, this NYU spreadsheet, and this Motor1 article.

This example notes that the profit margin (i.e. the percentage of revenue that comes out after paying all salaries, rent, supply, etc) for a car dealership is comparatively low, which is confirmed by the NYC sheet. The gross profit margin (that is to say, profits on the car sale before salaries, rent, taxes) is under 15% in both sources, which is significantly lower than, say, the 50% or so that one sees in apparel or cable tv.

Cars are expensive to purchase, and can't be sold for much more than you did purchase them. However, a low gross profit margin on an item that costs tens of thousands of dollars is still a hefty chunk of cash. 15% gross profit of a $20,000 car is still $3,000 profit. On top of that, the dealership will charge fees, sell warranties, and offer upgrades. They may also have paid deals to advertise or push certain brands of tire, maintenance fluids, and of course, banks that offer auto loans. So if a dealership sells one car a day, well, that's still several thousand dollars coming in, which is enough to pay the salaries of most of the employees. According to the Motor1 article, "the average gross profit per new vehicle sits at $6,244" in early 2022.

There is also a much less volatile, if also much smaller, source of revenue in attaching a repairs and checkup service to a dealership. If the location offers repairs (either under warranty or at a 'discounted' rate compared to a local, non-dealership mechanic), state inspections, and software updates, that's a recurring source of revenue from customers that aren't interested in purchasing a car more than once a decade.

This also all varies based on whether it's a brand location, used vs new, luxury vs standards, and so on.

I was mistaken as to how large a part of the revenue is the repairs and services section, but the income for a single dealership, on average, does work out math-wise. Hypothesis disproven, but we've learned something, and confirmed that income across the field does seem to be holding steady.

I'm going to handle the zoning and consolidation together, since they overlap:

Consolidation is a pretty easy one: this is a tactic called clustering. The expectation is that if you're going to, say, a Honda dealership to look at a midsize sedan, and there's a Nissan right next door, and a Ford across the street, and a Honda right around the corner, you might as well hit up the others to see if they have better deals. This tactic works for some businesses but not others. In the case of auto dealerships, the marketing advantage of clustering mixes with the restrictions of zoning laws.

Zoning laws vary by state, county, and township. Auto dealerships can generally only be opened on commercially zoned property.

I am going to use an area I have been to as an example/case study.

This pdf is a set of zoning regulations for Suffolk County, New York, published 2018, reviewing land use in the county during 2016. I'm going to paste in the map of the Town of Huntington, page 62, a region I worked in sporadically a few years ago, and know mostly for its mall and cutesy town center.

Those red sections are Commercially Zoned areas, and they largely follow some large stroads, most notably Jericho Turnpike (the horizontal line halfway down) and Walt Whitman Road (the vertical line on the left). The bulge where they intersect is Walt Whitman Mall, and the big red chunk in the bottom left is... mostly parking. That central strip, Jericho Turnpike, and its intersection with Walt Whitman... looks like this:

All those red spots are auto dealerships, one after another.

So zoning laws indicate that a dealership (and many other types of commercial properties) can only exist in that little red strip on the land use map, and dealerships take up a lot of space. Not only do they need places to put all of the cars they are selling, but they also need places to park all their customers and employees.

This is where we get into the issue of parking minimums. There is a recent video from Climate Town, with a guest spot by NotJustBikes. If you want to know more about this aspect of zoning law, I'd recommend watching this video and the one linked in the description.

Suffolk county does not have parking minimums. Those are decided on a town or village level. In this case, this means we are looking at the code set for the town of Huntington. (I was originally looking on the county level, and then cut the knot by just asking my real estate agent mom if she knew where I could find minimum parking regulations. She said to look up e360 by town, and lo and behold! There they are.)

(There is also this arcgis map, which shows that they are all within the C6 subset of commercial districting, the General Business District.)

Furniture or appliance store, machinery or new auto sales - 1 per 500 square feet of gross floor area

Used auto sales, boat sales, commercial nurseries selling at retail - 5 spaces for each use (to be specifically designated for customer parking) - Plus 1 for each 5,000 square feet of lot area

This is a bit odd, at first glance, as the requirements are actually much lower than that of other businesses, like drive-in restaurants (1 per 35 sqft) or department stores (1 per 200 sqft). I could not find confirmation on whether the 'gross floor area' of the dealership included only indoor spaces or also the parking lot space allotted to the objects for sale, but I think we can assume that any parking spaces used by merchandise do not qualify as part of the minimum. Some dealerships can have up to 20,000 gross sqft, so those would require 40 parking spaces reserved solely for customers and employees. Smaller dealerships would naturally need less. One dealership in this area is currently offering 65 cars of varying makes and models; some may be held inside the building, but most will be on the lot, and the number may go higher in other seasons. If we assume they need 30 parking spaces for customers and employees, and can have up to 70 cars in the lot itself, they are likely to have 100 parking spaces total.

That's a lot of parking.

Other businesses that require that kind of parking requirement are generally seeing much higher visitation. Consider this wider section of the map:

The other buildings with comparative parking are a grocery store (Lidl) and a post office (can get some pretty high visitation in the holiday season, but also just at random).

Compare them, then, to the "old town" section of the same town.

There are a handful of public parking areas nearby (lined in blue), whereas the bulk of the businesses are put together along this set of streets. While there is a lot of foot traffic and vehicle passage, which is appealing for almost any business, opening a car dealership in this area would require not only buying a building, but also the buildings surrounding it. You would need to bulldoze them for the necessary parking, which would be prohibitively expensive due to the cost of local real estate... and would probably get shot down in the application process by city planners and town councils and so on. Much easier to just buy land over in the strip where everyone's got giant parking lots and you can just add a few extra cramped lanes for the merchandise.

Car dealerships also tend to be very brightly lit, which hits a lot of NIMBY sore spots. It's much easier to go to sleep if you aren't right next to a glaring floodlight at a car dealership, so it's best if we just shove them all away from expensive residential, which means towards the loud stroads, which means... all along these two major roads/highways.

And if they're all limited to a narrow type of zoning already, they might as well take advantage of cluster marketing and just all set up shop near each other in hopes of stealing one of the other's customers.

As consumers, it's also better for us, because if we want to try out a few different cars from a few different brands, it's pretty easy to just go one building down to try out the Hyundai and see if it's better than a Chevy in the same price group.

(Prompt me on ko-fi!)

[canmom]

Have you seen some of the new HDR stuff on KDE plasma 6? Still early days, but very exciting!

https://zamundaaa.github.io/wayland/2023/12/18/update-on-hdr-and-colormanagement-in-plasma.html

oh that is interesting! sounds very promising.

“SDR Color Intensity” is inspired by the color slider on the Steam Deck. For sRGB applications it scales the color gamut up to (at 100%) rec.2020, or more simply put, it makes the colors of non-HDR apps more intense, to counteract the bad gamut mapping many HDR displays do and make colors of SDR apps look more like when HDR is disabled

I guess this goes some way to answering why colour accuracy for SDR content was so dodge when I turned on HDR on windows (which lacks such a slider, just a brightness slider). "the bad gamut mapping many HDR displays do" is big oof but also explains a lot. the mathematics for colour space transformation is pretty well-defined, so if hardware is implementing them incorrectly, that's really frustrating. older screens are working with standards that predate the idea of colour management, but now we're bringing in all these new display signalling standards (PQ and all that), it seems like a golden opportunity to do things properly this time... so of course we don't lmao.

the colorimeter I got has an option for high brightness/HDR screens, but I haven't really tested it yet. 'measure your screen colorimetrically and compensate in software' works decently well in SDR land, but I'm not sure what happens in HDR. I haven't played any HDR-enabled games since I got this colour accuracy bug, so I haven't had cause to try and figure out the ins and outs of it yet.

it seems like KDE intend to be a lot less black-box about it than Microsoft, which is very welcome.

[squarebracket-trickster]

Writer Q&A Tag Game

Thank you @sunset-a-story for ALSO tagging me way back in August. I AM SO SORRY

1. What motivates you to write?

It itchy, itchy urge to create something. I NEED it OUT. I MUST make sense of it ALL. The thoughts need ordering and putting together to maximize the happy chemicals. I see something I like that someone else made and I get jealous so I must do something like that, but MY way, and BETTER. It all makes me very itchy (restless).

2. A line/short snippet of your writing that you are most proud/happy of. If not maybe share a line of someone else's work you love (just please credit them)

I skimmed my entire 3rd draft (so far) to pick a line. There are a lot of good ones but none I liked more than the rest - I couldn't choose. So... I know I've already shared this one but dammit. It is a kickass line. It's also the first line of WIPVII - and you do not know what devils I sold my soul to to escape THAT writer's block.

I will live, I tell myself through the salt water in my eyes and the sting of the south wind on my face. This will make for a good story one day.

5. What part of writing do you think you are the best at? (Yes stroke your own ego it's okay)

Banter and wit. Which is funny because I always thought that was the thing I would struggle most with - I was the academic overachiever who took herself too seriously in school. But when I reread my drafts there is something that makes me laugh in nearly every scene. Most of my highlighted lines are banter or retorts.

6. What do you enjoy most about the Writeblr community?

I love seeing writeblr content on my dash and I looooove getting interactions when I liveblog my writing. It is so nice to be able to share this with people who love it too (rather than inflicting it on my poor irl friends who are not writers). I just love all you Writeblr friends so much!

7. A writing tool/device you use that helps you with writing? (It could be speech to text, a writing program etc)

A 2x3.5' and a 3x5.5' whiteboard with a rainbow's worth of whiteboard markers in different thicknesses for brainstorming, family trees, timelines. My sketchbook, a mechanical pencil, and YouTube drawing tutorials for my maps and concept art. MS Word, dark mode, Times New Roman pt 11, with comments enabled for my manuscripts, outlines (bullet points), and worldbuilding notes. Subfolders within subfolders stored on my PC to organize all my Word docs. Two separate USBs which my completed manuscripts are saved to (in case something happens to my computer AND one of the USBs).

I have yet to find any worldbuilding or map making software (and it hasn't been for lack of looking) that gives me enough flexibility. I have yet to find any writing software that has features Word doesn't but that would actually help my process rather than overwhelm me.

I do want to write out a draft of WIPVII by hand at some point (though with my penchant for writing hand cramps this might be doomed). I also want to try an electric typewriter.

8. A piece of worldbuilding that you like in your own story? (It could be the magic system, a particular place in the story, a law etc)

WIPVII doesn't have very complex worldbuilding (there is no magic and most of it is ripped from real world history) but I do always love it when authors tell us what way the wind is coming, what smells it carries, what the view is in the distance, whose lands those are... that kind of stuff. Really creates a sense of place. I spent a lot of time mapping all this out in my own novel and I am very happy with it! The description feels so rich!

9. What piece of advice would you say to encourage others to write if they are having a rough patch?

Learn more about the craft. Writing is problem solving. If you aren't happy with something figure out why - the mechanics and technique behind writing. If you're still stuck learn even more. There are so many great, free resources on tumblr, youtube, blogs, pinterest (though it is most stolen from tumblr) even twitter and tiktok.

Also, learn how to filter out what advice is helpful now versus what should wait for later so you don't get overwhelmed. If you haven't even written a first draft yet don't bother with pacing, exposition, line editing, or let alone how to query. Just focus on the macro-stuff like plot and character arcs.

Tagging with the lightest brush on the shoulder these nine alleged humans: @cheeto-flavoured-pasta, @alnaperera, @bluberimufim, @daisywords, @boundedsea, @full-on-sam, @writernopal, @ashen-crest, @surroundedbypearls

[infycons]

Road Cutting Quantity Calculation

Stratawise excavation calculations are crucial for accurate road cutting quantity calculation in specific highway construction scenarios. Road Estimator empowers users to input specific soil stratum levels at different chainages, facilitating precise calculations of excavation quantities for each stratum. An added dimension to this functionality is the customization of side slopes, where users can tailor slopes for individual strata or opt for automated adjustments by Road Estimator, optimizing the excavation process. The automated calculations enhance efficiency and accuracy, taking into account diverse soil compositions and changing strata depths throughout the project lifecycle. In road construction and infrastructure projects with deep excavations and varied soil strata, using stratawise excavation quantities feature ensures accurate cost estimates, contributing significantly to project success.

[humanjeff]

I've been trying out the new RPG Stories map builder/TTRPG platform, and it is freaking amazing, to the point that I am considering backing the next expansion on Kickstarter, which is something I rarely do.

I never even heard of it before yesterday, it just landed without any fanfare at all - but it's so good already. if you're into tabletop games go check out the demo on Steam:

(I AM NOT A PAID SHILL, THIS IS JUST REALLY GOOD SOFTWARE, I AM SO IMPRESSED)

[prototechsolutionsblog]

Step-by-Step Guide to Land Survey Drafting for Beginners

Land survey drafting is a crucial aspect of real estate development, construction, and civil engineering projects. Accurate survey drafting ensures that all parties involved have a clear understanding of the land's dimensions, boundaries, and features. For beginners, navigating this intricate process can be challenging. This step-by-step guide will provide you with the essential knowledge and skills to get started with land survey drafting.

Step 1: Understanding the Basics of Land Surveying

Before diving into the drafting process, it’s essential to understand what land surveying entails. Land surveying involves measuring and mapping the land's surface to determine boundaries, elevations, and features. Surveyors use various tools and techniques to collect data, which is then translated into a detailed map or plan.

Step 2: Gather Necessary Tools and Equipment

To begin land survey drafting, you'll need the following tools and equipment:

Total Station or Theodolite: For precise angle and distance measurements.

GPS Receiver: For accurate positioning.

Measuring Tape: For manual measurements.

Surveying Tripod: To stabilize your instruments.

Drafting Software: AutoCAD, Civil 3D, or other CAD software for drafting.

Field Notebook: To record measurements and observations.

Step 3: Conduct a Reconnaissance Survey

Before starting the actual survey, conduct a reconnaissance survey. This preliminary survey helps you understand the site conditions, identify any obstacles, and plan your surveying strategy. Walk the site, take notes, and mark significant points of interest.

Step 4: Establish Control Points

Control points are fixed points on the ground used as references for your survey. They provide a framework for the entire survey area. Use your total station or GPS receiver to accurately establish and record these points. Ensure they are easily identifiable and accessible.

Step 5: Measure Angles and Distances

Using your total station or theodolite, measure the angles and distances between control points and other significant features on the land. Record these measurements in your field notebook. Be meticulous, as accuracy is crucial for the integrity of your survey.

Step 6: Record Elevations

If your survey requires elevation data, use a leveling instrument to measure the height differences between points. Record these elevations accurately, as they are essential for creating topographic maps and understanding the land's terrain.

Step 7: Transfer Data to Drafting Software

With all your field data collected, it’s time to transfer it to your drafting software. Input the control points, angles, distances, and elevations into the software. AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and other CAD programs are widely used for this purpose. They allow you to create precise and detailed survey maps.

Step 8: Create the Survey Draft

Using the data in your drafting software, create the initial survey draft. Start by plotting the control points and then draw lines connecting them according to your measurements. Add other features such as buildings, roads, and natural elements. Ensure all dimensions and angles are accurate.

Step 9: Review and Edit the Draft

Review your initial draft for any errors or discrepancies. Cross-check the measurements and angles with your field notes. Make necessary corrections and refinements to ensure the draft is accurate and comprehensive.

Step 10: Finalize and Present the Survey

Once you are confident in the accuracy of your survey draft, finalize the document. Add necessary labels, legends, and notes to make the map easily understandable. Present the final survey to the relevant stakeholders, ensuring it meets all legal and project-specific requirements.

Tips for Successful Land Survey Drafting

Double-Check Measurements: Accuracy is paramount. Always double-check your measurements and calculations.

Stay Organized: Keep your field notes, sketches, and data well-organized for easy reference.

Learn CAD Software: Proficiency in CAD software is essential for creating professional survey drafts. Invest time in learning and practicing.

Understand Legal Requirements: Be aware of the legal standards and regulations governing land surveys in your area.

Conclusion

Land survey drafting is a vital skill in many industries, and mastering it can open doors to various career opportunities. By following this step-by-step guide, beginners can develop a solid foundation in land survey drafting. Remember, accuracy, organization, and continuous learning are key to becoming proficient in this field. Happy surveying!

[earhartsease]

technology history story:

it's 1989, and we're unexpectedly making big bucks working for a small startup dealing with databases (and mapping software) for museums and environmental organisations, which was tonnes of funne

our friend has coded a routine to import millions of records for a bird demographics project originally input into some terrible software, and he can't understand why his routine is performing so slowly

we take a look at the code, and at the progress display onscreen, and then we rewrite a few lines and the code runs almost 100x faster

he thinks we've performed magic but guess what the bottleneck was

his code showed the number of records imported on the screen of a laptop, and updated for each record imported - and the screen refresh rate was the bottleneck, because early laptop screens were slow af, so it literally took many times as long to update the screen as it did to import a record, and some bad buffering shit going on meant this also slowed down the whole import loop itself

we just tweaked the code so instead of showing number of records imported, it only updated each time the percentage done rose by 0.1% so the user still had something to ogle

we feel like there's some point to telling you about this and it's not just ooh weren't we clever - okay we were but only because we were autistic and thought sideways - but maybe the point is something about information saturation not being the best way to get shit done

and it still amazes us that we went from "never used a computer" to "in charge of an entire large museum's computer needs" in like three years, and being autistic and interested was how that happened (nobody taught us, we just read manuals like they were enchanted turkish delight), and then we landed in that company and learned to program in LISP in like three days because someone was on holiday and something needed writing in a hurry - and it's nice to remember we had a brain once, now that ME has fucked it for us and hmm okay reading this paragraph we guess sometimes info saturation is the way to go but anyway