#@$%&^& Cad,

[f700es]

Standards? We don't need no stinkin' standards around here! Now get back to work the lot of you or it's half rations and no grog tonight!

 

I whole heartily believe in standards, that is why I always use my own

[MichaelH27]

No fellows, I just checked, there is one station with me sitting behind it. On the computer there is Cad 2003, 2008, 2012 and 2012 Map 3d. 4 unlicenced versions of Cad on one computer. No one else here needs cad. The owner had this brilliant idea to introduce drafting and mapping services to his current clients. I had told him numerous times that in order to produce anything or make money doing this, He will need a licence. $5k for 2012 Map 3d. He looked at me like I was joking. Where did these 4 versions come from? I asked a guy before he quit because of the stupidity that happens around here where the versions of Cad came from. He told me that 2 of them were already here before he came on board and he installed 2 student versions himself which he got them from school. I had also found out that the GIS department here is using ARCGIS "student versions". The GIS guy that sits 2 feet behind me and is probably watching me type this, has constant problems with his student version. He cant do his best because of the lack of features in his program. I have spent the last 2 weeks fighting, arguing, headaches, back aches and cross eyed syndrome to produce a dwg that he can take to his current client and offer them mapping plans. I finished the plan, It was 100% hack job. It looks really good but was created very poorly, no time to do it properly. When it came time to make prints, "autodesk educational purposes only" is stamped all over the paper. How did cheap dick work around this? He tapped 8 pieces of 11 x 17 around the edges of the paper with painters tape and stood at the printer feeding each individual piece of paper into it. When the print came out, the stamp was printed on the painters tape. I had the priveledge of removing the tape from each piece of paper. 1 1/2 hours later, We had 8 very **** poor prints. I made $45 for the time spent printing 8 pieces of paper.

 

Now to my question. Because nothing is legal or licenced, If I start creating templates, linetypes, blocks... ect. ect... Will the autodesk stamp infuse itself into anything created? I dont really feel like spending hours, days, weeks, creating cad stuff only to have it not be usable. Any comments?

[f700es]

I'd honestly start looking for another job, really! If this guy would do this he will do anything. Run, do not walk, away!

[Lee Roy]

Any comments?

 

Quit.

 

I'm with f700es, I would leave and not come back.

 

Shoot, I'd preface it with "If you don't buy licensed software, I'm outta here." and see where that goes.

[CyberAngel]

Because nothing is legal or licenced, If I start creating templates, linetypes, blocks... etc. etc... Will the autodesk stamp infuse itself into anything created? I dont really feel like spending hours, days, weeks, creating cad stuff only to have it not be usable. Any comments?

 

Sorry you're so frustrated.

 

The educational stamp will indeed be added to anything you create with an unlicensed version. If you're only interested in the result, you might consider another CAD package. DraftSight, for instance, is free and works very much like AutoCAD. The disadvantage is that, if you ever send one of your drawings to someone with AutoCAD, they'll get a warning that the drawing isn't "trusted," that is, not from a genuine Autodesk product.

[MichaelH27]

I can't use a different version of Cad. Because he wants me to use the information from the GIS department, I need Cad Map. It imports shape files properly. He also wants the dwgs to be imported into GIS so that clients can view pdfs. I really dont know what the hell is going on around here. At the moment he is off at a meeting with the client, showing them the 8 tapped up, ripped pieces of paper, in hopes of getting work. So I have some time to drink coffee, smoke and look for another job.

 

So to create ANYTHING.... is a waste of time? Unless I want to peel tape off of paper in the future?

[MichaelH27]

Another question and comment, He wants me to create templates, blocks, linetypes, basically a drafting/mapping department. I am very new to this part of Cad. On top of that he wants me to collect field data using Trimble GPS equipment and also train the field staff on how to use the station and collect the data. I told him a while back what kind of salary I would expect from this. The look on his face told me he was about to puke. What is the going rate or salary for something in this field? currently I make $15/h and I know I am being taken advantage of.

[MichaelH27]

He would shake my hand, Tell me good luck, and send me out the door. Its an evil world in the oil and gas industry.

[ReMark]

With all that on your plate nothing less than $50/hr. would be satisfactory. It sounds like he wants you to take on multiple responsibilities at basically slave wages. When you have the first opportunity to bail on this guy do it. Then report his sorry a$$ to AutoDesk and any other company (Microsoft?) he stole software from.

[MichaelH27]

ReMark, He has been reported for not following labour laws, saftey violations and whatever else I don't know about.

 

I do plan on letting Autodesk know about this. Save the next poor sap from dealing with all of this garbage.

[ReMark]

How does this guy manage to stay in business?

[MichaelH27]

I live in Canada, Working in the Oil and Gas industry for the last 16 years. There is plenty of on going work here. It never stops. During the recession, O & G companies slowled their drilling programs to become next to zero. Instead of drilling, There was a big effort put into upgrading and renovating their facilities. The company I currently work for never felt a thing. His business focuses on finding, marking and designating buried facilities such as pipelines, well bores and marking property boundaries which is another story in itself as we are not surveyors. He has isolated his business in an area that covers a major portion of the province. This gives in a direct advantage of being the "go to guy" whenever there is work to be done. I have often wondered why guys like this stay in business or how they stay in business. I came to the conclusion that its not the quality nor the people in this company that make it profitable. Its the fact that he is the only guy to offer a service that no one else can. He has no competion. This has gone to his head as he believes he is king that provides a superior service which no one else can provide. In reality he is a cowboy who drives a dodge and got lucky with his business venture. 100% luck. Like Rod Stewart says, Some guys have all the luck, Some guys have all the pain, Some guys get all the breaks, Some guys do nothing but complain.

[ReMark]

I like Canada (visited a handful of times; drove it coast to coast once). I've done actual surveying work as a rodman, transitman and assistant field chief. I've done manual drafting then caught the CAD wave long before most. I have a civil engineering background. What does it take to set up a business to compete with this guy? Do I have to sing "Oh Canada"?

 

Where in Canada are you located? Maybe I've been there or at least close by.

[MichaelH27]

I'm in the prairies, We do work in Alberta and Saskatchewan. I started out as a rodman back in the late 90's. Got tired of walking, wind, heat, -700. So decided to take drafting as I would already have a job coming out of school.

 

I guess I shouldnt have said he has no competition, He has plenty of it, I've worked for his competition. The reason he gets the work is because his rate is alot less then anyone else is willing to work for. By not paying his field staff overtime for travel, he can then bill the clients less per hour and secure himself more work. The quality of the field work and office work shows as well. The clients dont want to spend money on a service that wont matter in a week.

 

you hiring? haha

[ReMark]

I traveled through the southern part of Saskatchewan (Regina, Moose Jaw and Swift Current). When I got to Alberta I traveled through the southern part as well (Medicine Hat and Calgary). Had to skip going up to Edmonton as I had a friend waiting on me in Jasper. Ended up in Vancouver for a week after that. Wish I had taken my motorcycle.

 

Are we hiring? Not at the moment but one never knows. We're looking to secure a second site for a new facility (it is a specialty chemical company) and once they finally find one I expect things to get real busy. But you probably wouldn't like the mild (compared to Canadian) winters we have. LoL

Edited June 26, 2012 by ReMark

[MichaelH27]

Its rained here in Medicine Hat every day since May. Kind of sick of it. I like the heat! What company did you work with when you were a rodman? MW?

[ReMark]

I worked for a municipality (my hometown) in their "Engineering" department. Our survey crew staked out roads, sidewalks, sewers (sanitary and storm), watermains, and even ball fields for the park & recreation department, etc.

Edited June 26, 2012 by ReMark

[DODGE]

I agree with Remark

I wouldn't be working for $15 an hour under these conditions. Shoot my son gets that for delivering papers.

I would walk as soon as, make sure you get your dosh, if he refuses to pay just drop Autodesk a postcard.

I am surprised he is allowed to only pay that amount, in Canada? I almost went there to live 30 years ago but decided

on the land of Oz.

Good Luck

Dodge

[BlackBox]

I am deeply sorry to hear about your situation...

 

I live in Canada, Working in the Oil and Gas industry for the last 16 years. There is plenty of on going work here. It never stops.

 

Identify reputable employers that have an established, successful history, and pursue them. Take your 16 years of experience, strut into one of their offices in a suit, and leverage that experience to your favor... One critically important step that you neglected in your current (albeit bent over backward) position.

 

You're a veteran of that industry, you're interested in learning the new[-er] technologies, and you can assist any one of those _other_ companies to become more successful than they already are. They need to understand (presumably during an interview?) that you're going to make someone more successful... it's either them, or one of their competitors (without your actually saying it).

 

Set extremely high expectations for yourself, and the position you seek, and develop the skills needed to capitalize on the opportunities you create.

 

Don't you _ever_ let another human being, let alone an employer, take advantage of you in this way again... If I may be so blunt. You deserve far better than this, and he (your boss) knows it.

 

It's not about threats, or even actually reporting a bad guy who's doing bad things (while he should pay for that too!)... It's all about leverage; if you don't have it, take it.

 

Good luck, and God bless!

[JD Mather]

He would shake my hand, Tell me good luck, and send me out the door. Its an evil world in the oil and gas industry.

 

Report this software piracy to Autodesk.

Things will change.