[WriteLog] WriteLog Digest, Vol 160, Issue 8

Mon Apr 11 11:14:53 EDT 2016

Those of us who used to do paper logging for contests and the fill in dupe sheets before we could submit are very well aware of the wonders of Writelog and are very thankful for it. Now lets consider various aspects.
When I first purchased Writelog I read the information which told me which contests it supported, and I bought it. The developer got paid, and the software worked great (and still does) for the supported contests. Since it did not support some contests that I wanted to operate in I downloaded and installed a third party software that no-one got paid for and came with the risk that it would not work and would never be supported. My choice, not Waynes responsibility. The third party guy never got paid and bears no responsibility for continued support.
Likewise, a Contest manager is normally a volunteer who does not receive remuneration and has no responsibility to inform software developers of rule changes.
Down here in the deep south we have a habit of adding aftermarket parts to our pickups so that we have to have a ladder to get in the cab and we can run over alligators on dirt roads without a problem. If the ladder breaks and we bust our butts it is not the fault of the vehicle manufacturer. So it is with third party software.
Buy now you will have figured that I know nothing about software, nor do I wish to, but as I see it there are a couple of possible solutions, but I do not know if they are practical.
1) The problem arises because the original software does not have all of the contest modules that I want. So can the original software developer write it so that downloaded third party software can be easily reprogrammed by someone with no programming knowledge to accommodate some changes in contest rules? Probably not, I don't know, but it would put the onus for making sure that the software scored correctly on the operator who uses third party software.

2) How about the original program developer doing what Writelog does and selling a basic program with a select number of contest modules included, but then selling additional contest modules as an upgrade and if contest rules change (which does not happen very often) sell a revised version. It is not that difficult to keep up with contest rule changes, they are often available by checking contest rules in WA7BNM's Contest Calendar months in advance. This has the advantage of giving the developer an additional revenue stream and allowing the contester to only need to purchase the contest modules that he wants. Isn't that what vehicle manufacturers do?
I can already hear those operators whining about paying for additional modules. Get over it, you are probably the same people who have thousands of dollars worth of radio and amplifier and bitch about the cost of connectors. Writelog is worth every penny and more and if you ever did paper logging you would know that.
Wayne, in spite of my earlier comments about Writelog not scoring correctly in a particular contest I fully accept that is my fault (usually I run dummy calls before a contest to make sure everything is OK, in this instance I didn't and got caught with my pants down) and in no way is a Writelog problem but I sure wish we could use Writelog for  most contests without having the third party software involved.
73 to all, 

Mike, WM5DX.

      From: Alan Maenchen <ad6e at arrl.net>
 To: WriteLog Reflector <writelog at contesting.com> 
 Sent: Monday, April 11, 2016 1:24 AM
 Subject: Re: [WriteLog] WriteLog Digest, Vol 160, Issue 8

I'm with Wayne on this issue.

If a contest changes the rules, then blame the contest manager who changed
the rule.. Don't blame Wayne or WL for not having ESP.

Part of being a contest manager (been there, done that) is reaching out and
maintaining a good relationship with the software vendors that support your
event.  Failure to do that results in this sort of problem.

If YOU know of a rule change for your favorite contest, then YOU need to
verify, and say something BEFORE you use it in that changed contest. If you
automatically assume things will always be rose petals in your path, you're
likely to be tripped up a lot by hidden roots.

73, Alan  AD6E

> Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2016 04:50:48 +0000
> From: Bob Henderson <bob.5b4agn at gmail.com>
> To: w5xd at writelog.com
> Cc: "[WriteLog]" <writelog at contesting.com>
> Subject: Re: [WriteLog] ok-om contest
> Message-ID:
>        <CALBVtwHQjqV-6SHL=pHQPCSWxv1UePEF+EJ9Ucg_=
> ST3knM4vA at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>
> Wayne
>
> A lot of us have kept the faith with WL for a long time and for good
> reason.  WL is an excellent contest logger but keeping abreast of contest
> rules with so many events in the annual calendar is clearly proving to be a
> significant challenge.
>
> I have done rather well in contests with WL and hope I can continue to do
> so but I feel it is getting harder.  A month back I raised concerns over
> the scoring irregularities associated with the Russian DX Contest.  These
> turned out to be the same concerns reported two years earlier, which went
> unaddressed and ended up with at least one high profile contester switching
> permanently to an alternative logging package.  Following my note re RDX
> others wrote saying they suffered the same problems but felt there was
> little interest in fixing them.  I confess I found their opinions hard to
> counter given my observations received no acknowledgement, let alone any
> commitment they would be addressed.  Scoring in the RDX module has been
> incorrect for at least 3 years now.  This is way too long.  Particularly so
> when RDX is one of the major events in the annual contest calendar and for
> the last two years a WRTC 2018 qualifying event.
>
> I would dearly love to see WL top of the pile in contest logging but it
> really can't be when modules for even major contests don't reflect current
> rules.
>
> 73 Bob, 5B4AGN
>
> On 11 April 2016 at 02:46, Wayne, W5XD <w5xd at writelog.com> wrote:
>
> > > The problem is the Wayne can?t be a one man show and keep up with all
> the
> > > contests.  The third party guys have stopped developing and we users
> > > who paid
> > > for the sofware are left holding the bag.  N1MM has a bunch of active
> > > contesters who keep things up to day. Very hard to compete with.  I
> > > feel bad
> > > for the WL developers and team, but that?s progress.
> >
> > Golly. One or two modules get out of date and you're ready to throw in
> > the towel? I am not.
> >
> > The problem with keeping up with rules changes, in my opinion, is more
> > with finding out about rule changes than it is with getting the updates
> > out. The old adage that, "if you want a job done right, you have to do
> > it yourself" means that the WL team needs to make a better effort
> > watching for rule changes--we are obviously guilty as charged. But I
> > hope you'll also understand that posting complaints to the reflector the
> > day after the contest in question ends (as was done to start this
> > thread) might not be the optimum time or method to let the WL team know.
> >
> > > Very hard to compete with.
> > it depends on what you mean by competition. WL users are still winning
> > contests.
> >
> > Wayne
> >
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