Here's my take on the friend.ini file:
I, too, have been a RTTY op and a contester for a long time (since
the 70s.) Prior to the advent of the friend.ini file, I certainly
didn't mind someone making a personalized comment, and I often
reciprocated.
However, the friend.ini file has removed the personal touch by
automating it. Guys I don't know say "Hi Barry" to me. At first, it
made me wonder if this is someone I do or should know, and I
embarassingly forgot. But, I know this is not the case. I am just
one of ~30K names in a computer database. This is like getting one
of those "Congratulations, Barry. You've been pre-approved for a
Citibank Visa card." Does someone at Citibank know me? In some
instances, some ops don't even receive their correct name in their
Hi, because they go by a nickname or their middle name. How warm-
feeling is that?
I believe a contest is about maximizing score AND having fun. An
automated greeting accomplishes neither, in my opinion. Therefore, I
don't use a friend.ini file. I DO exchange occasional, personal
comments during a contest with those I consider friends, but do it
manually, so it does have some meaning.
73,
Barry W2UP
On 21 Jul 2004 Roger Cooke wrote:
>
> Hi.
>
> Just read some of the mail regarding the friend file.
>
>
> As a RTTY operator from the early 1960's, I would like to think that
> RTTY is still a "gentlemans" mode. Obviously we cannot expect to know
> every other RTTY operator, as we indeed did in the early days, but
> let's not take this too seriously. Enter a contest to do well, winning
> would be a bonus, but personally I enter it for the fun, and like to
> greet and be greeted with a friendly "Hi Roger" - instead of "599 001
> bk".
>
> Some of the more serious contesters would say " Contesting is not a
> matter of life and death - it's more important than that!"
>
> Well, I have been a contester for decades and have always had fun,
> won a few, but entered far more than I have won! There is enough of
> the rubber stamp contacts on the bands these days, I have no time for
> them myself. I like to think that a few extra characters in the
> exchange will help to brighten somebody's day.
>
> The only grumble I have is that I am still using W98SE and it won't
> handle all the entries in the Friend file, so if I miss you out in the
> next contest, my apologies! I shall have to consider upgrading my
> operating system, and thereby give myself some more problems.
>
> Just MHO's
>
> 73 de Roger G3LDI
> rcooke@g3ldi.freeserve.co.uk
> g3ldi@amsat.org
> g3ldi@qsl.net
> g3ldi@gb7ldi.#35.gbr.eu
>
>
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--
Barry Kutner, W2UP Internet: w2up@mindspring.com
Newtown, PA Frankford Radio Club
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