[UK-CONTEST] New logging software... contesters first, boffins second, pse!

[Nigel G3TXF]

Sorry to pour cold water, but if this new contest logging software is not
masterminded by enthusiastic contesters, it'll get nowhere. Arch contest
operator Ken K1EA was the mastermind behind CT, the world's major contesting
software of the 90's. The FY5KE contest team are behind Win-Test. Active
contester Paul EI5DI is behind SuperDuper (thanks to Paul, SD has done much
to spur interest in RSGB Contests over the years). Other successful contest
loggers (WriteLog, N1MM etc) no doubt also have contesters in the driving
seat. Unless the writers of the new program (however whizz it might be) are
not contesters first and software boffins second, it's a dead duck from the
start.

73 - Nigel G3TXF (who knows zilch about software) 



-----Original Message-----
From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Paul O'Kane
Sent: 25 January 2009 18:58
To: UK Contest Reflector
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Sequence of a typical Contest exchange

EI5DI said:


>> "Will your developers still have enthusiasm for the project after the 
>> first 3 or 4 years, never mind the first 13 or 14?  :-)"
 
G4MKP replied

> Who cares?

It's clear you don't.

What tends to happen is that many contesters who can string more than three
or four lines of code (computer code) together have the bright idea of
writing a contest logger.  That was me in 1989.

Naturally, the new logger will be better than most of those around.
It will look really good, and will be ready in about 6 months; it will take
advantage of the latest techniques; it will support all present contests and
will be easily expandable for future events; it will be equally effective as
both a station logger and a contest logger.  Of course, it will be
platform-independent, meaning it will run on any computer - that's essential
these days.

I forgot one thing - it will be free.

Reality is somewhat different. It takes a couple of years to debug and
refine the first efforts, then another couple of years before any
significant numbers of contesters switch to it.  They will only do that when
they are confident the new logger will be around for a while.

Anyway, thanks for your contribution to the debate. 

73,
Paul EI5DI
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