[WriteLog] email back. docs. installer. etc

[Charles Morrison]

> Date: Fri, 07 Jul 2006 08:08:12 -0500
> From: Jim Rhodes <k0xu at iowadsl.net>
> Subject: Re: [WriteLog] email back. docs. installer. etc.
> To: <writelog at contesting.com>
> Cc: w5xd at writelog.com
> Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.0.20060707074603.02182990 at iowadsl.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
> 
> I guess I can see your point to some extent. But adding this type of 
> functionality would come at the price of using programming time to 
> write the code to create all the menus required. This would reduce 
> the amount of time available for true "updates" that add real 
> usefulness to the software. Maybe a better option would be to have 
> all the new ini options added to the existing ini file but in the 
> disabled state. But I have done very little programming in the 
> Windows environment and I sure couldn't guarantee that mucking around 
> with a working ini file wouldn't mess it up.
> 
> Maybe my feelings about this type of software are different from 
> others in the group. I may pay for the use of the programs, but at 
> the price I am paying I don't "own" it. Writelog is owned by Wayne 
> and who ever else works with him to create it. I can learn to adapt 
> to their "style" of programming. We are not dealing with Microsoft 
> here. They do not have unlimited staff to write all the pretty menus 
> that come with a package like the Office system. And if they did, we 
> wouldn't have a forum like this where we can suggest changes or 
> additions to the software that we get to use.
> 

Jim, its not that I want to appear conceited and think that I own the
software, and I realize that the authors time and resources are limited.
But at some point this constant adding of functionality needs to evolve into
the correct format in which it was intended.  As I mentioned, perhaps in
early editions of WL, one might have had to enter the rig type and com port,
but as it evolved, that was incorporated into the configuration screen.
We're now to the point that there are so many commands that are available
ONLY if you manually add them into the ini file, that it's impossible to
keep on top of all of them.  I personally have NO problem managing my copy
of Writelog, it runs (almost) perfectly.  BUT, there are still commands that
I learn of each time this discussion comes up.  Unless you're looking for a
specific function, you read the help file's ini file section and notice the
changes, or follow religiously the reflector, you'll never know what you
missed.  

At the bare minimum, populating the ini file with each successful updates's
additions would be a start.  Perhaps a comment section above it.  The worst
part is the adding of the functionality or features and there's only two
mentions of it, once in the release email and once in the ini file section
of the help file.

Charlie
KI5XP