[CQ-Contest] if you can't do it right, don't do it all

[Michael Coslo]

On Jul 21, 2008, at 7:12 AM, kr2q at optimum.net wrote:

> Since I am a member of the CQWWCC, I won't address this with respect  
> to contesting.
> And I am NOT addressing this as a member of the CQWWCC.  What  
> follows is my ownoffering, without approval, rejection, consent, or  
> review by anyone else.  This is MY opinion.
>
> In general (wide application in all fields), how do you know if it  
> is "right" unless
> you attempt something and see how it flies?

Everyone must start somewhere. Only a very few of us started out as  
experts. 8^)

>
>
> I sincerely doubt that there has been anything created by man (the  
> species), which has worked to everyone's expectation and  
> satisfaction, the first time out of the box.  This seems
> to be especially true of software, which is fully the creation of  
> man and hence fully
> represents "human error."
>
> Like it or not, for most things in life, we are all, at some level,  
> beta testers...or maybe delta
> testers, or phi testers, or even zeta testers...but we are testers.   
> If it were always "right,"
> right out of the box, there would be no need for CQI, TQM, Six  
> Sigma, Kaizen, etc.  But you
> know what...these approaches do exist and are exercised every hour  
> of every day.
>
> If you get it 98% right, isn't that worth the effort?  Sure, we  
> still strive for 100%, but does that mean until we are sure (how is  
> one ever "sure"?) that is it "right", that it shouldn't be  
> released?  This would make everything in life a non-starter.

Correct. Even sending people to the moon had a multiplicity of errors  
along the way.
>
>
> Sorry, but in my opinion, "if you can't do it right, don't do it  
> all" just makes no practical sense.
>

It indeed does not. I rely on volunteers, and they are increasingly  
hard to come by. Some of them take a look at what some contesters have  
to say about them, and then figure out they want to go somewhere.


> Now, putting on my committee hat, I will echo Bob's post:  The  
> feedback provided is genuinely appreciated and we have already made  
> good use of it.  THANKS!

Since we are wearing that hat, I would also like to add that at least  
in my case, I would be very grateful if I could get greater accuracy  
and fewer mistakes. If the first step is criticism, and the next step  
is volunteering to help, it will indeed have been criticism well  
received. If it is only criticism, with no solution,  it is filed  
under advisement.

-73 de Mike N3LI -