Focus/Expertice Poll

[Hai-Etlik]

So we have the thread for listing all the software people are familiar with, I thought it would be interesting to get a rough idea of who has what areas of expertise or interest relevant to Cartography and Geography.

I think I've gotten a reasonable break down with these:

Graphic Design - Typography, layout, advertising
Visual Arts - Painting, drawing, 3D modeling.
Writing - Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, editing
Gaming/Minis - RPGs, board games, war games, model railroads
Math and Computer Science - Geometry, Programming, Statistics
General Geography - GIS, Geodesy, Geomatics, Geostatistics, Remote Sensing, Real Cartography
Physical Sciences - Geology, Ecology, Climatology
Social Sciences - Linguistics, Sociology, Economics, Anthropology
Engineering/CAD - Civil engineering, Surveying, City Planning
Other - Not obvious but still map related


As for a threshold for how experienced or interested you have to be in an area. I figure a reasonable rule of thumb is that if you have more than 4 categories, it might be a good idea think about setting a higher bar (although it's not a requirement). You can clarify or mention lesser areas of interest in a reply.

[Hai-Etlik]

So I'm a Software Developer working on web based GISes. I have a BSc in Computer Science, an Advanced Diploma in GIS, and I've picked up a fair bit of Mathematics along the way, particularly in the area of Geometry. I also have a strong interest in visualization, and procedural image generation which for the purposes of this poll I'll put under Visual Arts along with a little bit of commissioned illustration.

I also have minor interests in Linguistics and Typography, and I'd rather like to get into playing RPGs if I could get the time and track down some other gamers in the area.

[Larb]

I have a BA in Creative and Professional Writing and I work for a graphic design company (mostly putting together brochures, catalogs and things). I've played and ran many RPGs, and half wrote my own system (another unfinished project much like my novel/s!), and I draw a lot.

[tilt]

I wonder about the "Geography" in the question ... I'm a Graphic Artist, I also paint i.e Visual Arts, I'm currently writing a book and outlining another, I play rpg's and have played wargames - but none of these are geography related - so I shouldn't cross of any of them. The maps I create are not related to my day job, rather connected to my hobby of roleplaying

[Hai-Etlik]

I wonder about the "Geography" in the question ... I'm a Graphic Artist, I also paint i.e Visual Arts, I'm currently writing a book and outlining another, I play rpg's and have played wargames - but none of these are geography related - so I shouldn't cross of any of them. The maps I create are not related to my day job, rather connected to my hobby of roleplaying

I guess my intent was "things applicable to or touching on maps" So if you know about good graphical design in general, then you could apply that to maps, even if you don't have particular training in cartography. If you know about the science of phenomena that have a spatial component (Like biology), then you could bring that to your maps, even if the spatial component isn't something you've focused on.

I was interested in what our collective knowledgebase/interestbase covers in terms of things we could apply to mapmaking.

[tilt]

I thought as much - but thought I would make sure and also clarify for others reading this thread