[Skimmertalk] "Assistance" and "Red Herrings" - What technologies do we want to permit in our "sport"?

[kd4d at comcast.net]

Good day, everyone:

I have also noted that the amount of discussion about the "CW Skimmer" and rules interpretations
has died down since the move to this reflector.  However, I do think there is a fundamental issue
facing the CW contesting community.  This is illustrated by the CW skimmer but not defined
by it.

And, I think the definition of "assisted" is not the issue.  That definition applies to what is or is not
legal under the CURRENT rules.

As I see it, the issue is this:  What sorts of technology do we want to permit in our sport?
To put it another way, is there an essential role for the operator in contesting and, if
so, what is it?

I believe that it would be straightforward to combine the technologies of CW Skimmer
(FFT's, digital filters, CW decoders, digital radios) and contesting software to create a
completely automated contest station.  Or, to completely automate running and/or
S&P for CW (and RTTY).  (BTW, I have years of experience as a software developer).

I note that all the competitive activities I can think of right now prohibit certain
technological advances:  Major League baseball prohibits aluminum bats, NASCAR
prohibits automatic traction control, Golf strictly regulates balls and clubs, Bridge
prohibits card-counting computers, Chess prohibits computers, Scrabble prohibits
almost all paper, etc..

I would like to start a discussion of whether and where it is appropriate to
prohibit certain technology in CW contesting.  I am also interested in what the 
RTTY contesters think.

I am not very interested in interpretations of the current rules and I am totally
uninterested in definitions of "assisted" or "assistance."  I am interested in what we 
see as the future of our "sport."

73,

Mark, KD4D
"It is a sport, therefore we are athletes!"  :-)  (Stolen from the Golf folks...)