[WriteLog] "It's broken"

[Ford Peterson]

> In a message dated 7/6/2006 12:02:31 PM Eastern Daylight Time,  na4m at arrl.net 
> writes:
> 
> Are we  saying this section of the WriteLog manual is incomplete and/or 
> there are  undocumented writelog.ini options?
> 
> 
> 
> In the past, I have come across undocumented writelog.ini commands.   (Sri, I 
> can't recall an example.).  I would not trust that the WL HELP  file and the 
> WL Manual are complete.  
> 
> Can anyone confirm if the latest WL Help file and/or WL  Manual contains a 
> description of ALL writelog.ini commands?
> 
> 73, Geo...k5kg


Folks, I can most assuredly attest to the fact that the WL manual is incomplete, and in places inaccurate.  I have attempted to follow the instructions to a "T" and that they simply are incomplete.  I have had one of the engineers on our team attempt to do the same and found that it simply does not work.  

Even if there were ALL the ini commands documented, the fact that there is an attempt at documenting all aspects is defacto evidence that it is broken.  There is no responsible software on the market today, bar none, that requires a several hour bonding experience to get it working.  And even then, only through extensive experimentation and foreplay will the software appear to function.  Most disturbing is the fact that what appears to function is at best only partially reliable.  And completely frustrating to find out that said function is incomplete, irratic, and often short-lived.

These fact, my friends, is having an impact on the 'contesting experience.'  It should be about running radios, contacting old friends, and the commeraderie that comes with the M/M experience--not cross burnings and IT nerd stump-hangings when logs are butchered or partially damaged.

I welcome any efforts on fixing the core software.  I would participate in any reasonable effort to test or help out.

Ford-N0FP
ford at cmgate.com