[CQ-Contest] L.O.T.W.

[David Robbins K1TTT]

> 
> 
> > Simon Pearson * M0CLW writes:
> >
> > > LoTW seems to me like an excuse to use the technology rather than
> > > provide a good customer-oriented solution. This is a common mistake,
> 
> > > especially as this is only a hobby and not very important in the
> > > grand scheme of things.
> >
> > I resisted the temptation to reply to this thread. But I have to say
> > you just hit the nail on the head, Simon. It's simply pouring money
> > into technology which is another mistake as the money could be much
> > better spent elsewhere, IMO.
> 
> You gentlemen still don't get it ...
> 
> The "customer oriented solutions" are available in many of the well
> designed logging programs (e.g., DXLabs/DXKeeper).
> 
> The only difference between LotW and other e-commerce web sites
> (banking, brokerage, etc.) is that the 'customer' has a pre-existing
> relationship with the financial institution and thus the account
> already exists.
> 

wrong, with the on-line brokerage there is no pre-existing account.  The
whole thing was done on-line except one paper transfer from me to them, the
initial check.  The same is done with paypal or ebay, except they don't even
need the initial piece of paper.  And my bank could do the same, it just
happened I was there and got the password setup directly, it could have been
done by phone or mail.  Any one of these handles personal finances that are
much more important than credit toward a dxcc plaque to most people, and yet
confirmation of identity is simpler and conducting transactions is no harder
than logging in to the web site.  Of course, maybe some people value their
finances less than award credit and think that the whole world should jump
through extra security hoops just to keep the sanctity of their plaque
intact... personally I think it is just a use of technology because someone
sold some paranoid administrator who didn't really want his job to be
replaced by a web site on a bill of goods.  And I don't care how much work
it is for me to upload logs from contests, that only happens occasionally,
what I care about is that it is harder than necessary for the thousands of
dx stations that keep sending paper cards rather than getting signed up to
use it.




David Robbins K1TTT
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