Several thoughts...on need for new software being a necessity....
Something I do not know enough about but that keeps resurfacing over and
over again is the inavailability of IRQs on the newer machines....they have
so many bells and whistles they are outta IRQs, they are "used
up".....those olde dogs of 386 and 486 computers are everywhere currently,
I bought a 386 system for 75 bucks at the Tampa convention a few months ago
- it was enough machine to run logging programs....any time now the 486es
should be dipping down to this level price wise.....I don't know about you
but I have NO problem with having an "old" computer dedicated to ham radio
contesting...no biggee....I have not experienced yet any contesting
situation where a plain jane 486 wasn't burly enough to do the job....and
they should be about the same price as a bandpass filter soon!
So....we can either do two things:
Use the machines which are in abundance and are plenty fine for running the
existing contesting software...which is awfully powerful, or am I showing
my grey and not seeing some greater potential unused angle for logging
software that will require more computing muscle?
Or, we demand re-written software for the computer we are now buying which
we will use to watch Video on...."it is so much faster, you know".....SO
WHAT!
Like I say I think I have missed something - it seems to me like a hams
dream come true now exists - affordable not so SOTA computers are out there
begging to be bought at cheap prices, computers which can have added comm
ports....with which we can interface with our rig, packet, network w/other
computers AND tie to the Internet all simultaneously...and do it all with
existing software being sold at reasonable prices by those actually buying
it....
I just don't get it - what is the need to have new software - what doesn't
the current array of contest software do that we need newer machines for?
If you are looking to create jobs by making the current software obsolete,
I doubt it will happen - the few software packages available to hams for
contesting ar not undertaken as money making schemes, all of the writers of
the major programs do it for the love of contesting - look at the guys
writing the stuff, average folk, wouldn't you say? I don't think they get
a check from Bill Gates too often.
I for one am happy to see reasonable prices on used 'puters in the local
newspaper classifieds...and should some day I get the urge to go Pentium
well this here 486 will become a contest dedicated machine - there ain't
nothin I know of it can't do!
F1
F1
F1
73- see you in the FQP
de
Jim White, K4OJ
k4oj@ij.net
a proud member of THE Florida Contest Group
...visit our website @
http://www.4w.com/deemer/fcg.htm
What's an FQP?
Check out the new Florida QSO Party @
http://home1.gte.net/wd4ahz/fcg/ssqp.htm
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