[TowerTalk] sad day for ham radio
Jim
Jim" <jdc@ieway.com
Sat, 30 Jan 1999 09:40:39 -0800
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Well said Ken !!!
Keep up the good work....
73 !!
Jim W7RY
Spokane Washington
RYRYRYRYRYRYRY
-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Wolff <K1EA@contesting.com>
To: towertalk@contesting.com <towertalk@contesting.com>; =
cq-contest@contesting.com <cq-contest@contesting.com>
Date: Saturday, January 30, 1999 10:39 AM
Subject: RE: [TowerTalk] sad day for ham radio
=20
=20
As a software author, I have a lot of sympathy for Brian's position. =
It's tough to make a living selling software into the amateur market. =
The volumes do not support the sub $100 price the user demand. Brian's =
software is so sophisticated, it should require a staff of programmers =
(not just one) to develop and support.=20
Personally, I write CT for a number of reasons.=20
1. My hobbies are radio contesting and programming. What a perfect =
combination for CT! I'm not a DX'er or certificate chaser. Hence, I =
write no general purpose logging software.=20
2. Many hundreds of fellow contesters have expressed appreciation =
over the years. What a rush! By the way, never get into a phone contest =
with the call K1EA, the rate stinks, but it's nice to be loved.=20
3. The money is good enough that I never feel guilty about buying =
computers, software or radios.=20
There is a down side. I'm often forced to support very =
unsophisticated users (computer lids). "Edit a file? What's that?" =
Fortunately, my users support each other, and shield me. There are =
volunteers, such as AD1C and KM3T who do a tremendous amount of direct =
support just because they are good guys. Some buyers think I'm Microsoft =
and try to strong-arm me. I hate that. It makes me want to quit. I feel =
terrible when 200 guys start a contest and discover the radio keeps =
getting thrown to the wrong sideband, or worse.=20
In my view, "borrowed" software is a fact of life. I may not like =
it, but I've learned to live with it. In the long run, the lack of copy =
protection is a benefit. Over time, most users of "borrowed" software =
"upgrade" with a check or credit card. Yes, some countries are known as =
"one copy" countries, but that is a social issue I'm not prepared to =
address.=20
There is one unsung hero I'd like to mention. N6TR must put in =
enormous hours writing log checking software. Hardly anybody notices or =
appreciates it. Everybody should send him a few bucks for computers and =
dinner out with the family.=20
73, Ken K1EA
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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Well said Ken !!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Keep up the good work....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>73 !!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Jim W7RY</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Spokane Washington</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT><FONT color=3D#000000 =
size=3D2>RYRYRYRYRYRYRY</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: =
5px">
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>-----Original =
Message-----</B><BR><B>From:=20
</B>Ken Wolff <<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:K1EA@contesting.com">K1EA@contesting.com</A>><BR><B>To:=
=20
</B><A =
href=3D"mailto:towertalk@contesting.com">towertalk@contesting.com</A>=20
<<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:towertalk@contesting.com">towertalk@contesting.com</A>>=
; <A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com">cq-contest@contesting.com</A> =
<<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com">cq-contest@contesting.com</A>&g=
t;<BR><B>Date:=20
</B>Saturday, January 30, 1999 10:39 AM<BR><B>Subject: </B>RE: =
[TowerTalk]=20
sad day for ham radio<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D551154915-30011999><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2><SPAN class=3D321480716-30011999><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P>As a software author, I have a lot of sympathy for Brian's =
position. It's=20
tough to make a living selling software into the amateur market. The =
volumes=20
do not support the sub $100 price the user demand. Brian's software =
is so=20
sophisticated, it should require a staff of programmers (not just =
one) to=20
develop and support.</FONT><FONT size=3D2> </P></FONT><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff=20
face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P>Personally, I write CT for a number of reasons. </P>
<P>1. My hobbies are radio contesting and programming. What a =
perfect=20
combination for CT! I'm not a DX'er or certificate chaser. Hence, I =
write no=20
general purpose logging software.</FONT><FONT size=3D2> =
</P></FONT><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P>2. Many hundreds of fellow contesters have expressed appreciation =
over=20
the years. What a rush! By the way, never get into a phone contest =
with the=20
call K1EA, the rate stinks, but it's nice to be loved.</FONT><FONT =
size=3D2>=20
</P></FONT><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P>3. The money is good enough that I never feel guilty about buying =
computers, software or radios.</FONT><FONT size=3D2> =
</P></FONT><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P>There is a down side. I'm often forced to support very =
unsophisticated=20
users (computer lids). "Edit a file? What's that?" =
Fortunately, my=20
users support each other, and shield me. There are volunteers, such =
as AD1C=20
and KM3T who do a tremendous amount of direct support just because =
they are=20
good guys. Some buyers think I'm Microsoft and try to strong-arm me. =
I hate=20
that. It makes me want to quit. I feel terrible when 200 guys start =
a=20
contest and discover the radio keeps getting thrown to the wrong =
sideband,=20
or worse.</FONT><FONT size=3D2> </P></FONT><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>
<P>In my view, "borrowed" software is a fact of life. I =
may not=20
like it, but I've learned to live with it. In the long run, the lack =
of copy=20
protection is a benefit. Over time, most users of =
"borrowed"=20
software "upgrade" with a check or credit card. Yes, some=20
countries are known as "one copy" countries, but that is a =
social=20
issue I'm not prepared to address.</FONT><FONT size=3D2> =
</P></FONT><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P>There is one unsung hero I'd like to mention. N6TR must put in =
enormous=20
hours writing log checking software. Hardly anybody notices or =
appreciates=20
it. Everybody should send him a few bucks for computers and dinner =
out with=20
the family.</FONT><FONT size=3D2> </P></FONT><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>
<P>73, Ken=20
K1EA</P></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HT=
ML>
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