[WT-support] WinTest/Other Progs - Other Contests

[AC0W]

Having read all the posts for this thread I decided it was time to add my
opinion on the contests a contest logging program supports. I will add up
front that I understand that what I am about to suggest is not possible for
Version 3.xx and most likely not possible for version 4.xx but should be
considered for version 5 due to the changes needed to the core program.

While there are many contests and many different rules, most contests have
similar basis for their rules and scoring. Enough so that two popular DOS
based programs (TR & NA) found a way to implement into their programs a
method the end use could easily add almost any contest they wanted to
operate. I have used this feature myself many times for lesser known
contests and QSO Parties.

With the advancement in software since both TR and NA were introduced I
would think this would be a standard feature in all contest logging
programs. However, I have yet to find a Windows based contest logging
program to include this feature.

So as you look at improvements in the future, it may pay to also look at TR
and NA to see what features from these fine DOS based programs that could be
incorporated to advance WT to hopefully make it the next standard in
contesting software.

Bill
AC0W

-----Original Message-----
From: support-bounces at win-test.com [mailto:support-bounces at win-test.com] On
Behalf Of Laurent HAAS - F6FVY
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 10:48 AM
To: support at win-test.com
Subject: Re: [WT-support] WinTest/Other Progs

Hi Peter and all

Peter Bowyer a écrit :

> Well, Larry will have to answer that. The contest base is reguarly 
> expanded. I merely expressed my appreciation for the stance they have 
> taken to date, I wouldn't like to guess what their future poilcy might 
> be.

Preamble : Olivier is the lead programmer of Win-Test. I just express my own
opinions on this topic, being a bit more involved in "new" contests
additions.

1/ Win-Test has *not* being designed to allow users or third-party
programmers to write their own contest "modules", or to modify the existing
ones. Many contests have so specific rules that it is currently impossible
to manage them is a generic way in the program core. We have to adapt the
core code for them, when possible. Sometimes it would require a major
rewrite, we don't want to do. For example, this is a reason why we can't add
contests with several "sessions". People found workarounds (like ES5TV found
for the EU HF contest). Good for them.

2/ Our goal is CLEARLY not to add support for every contest of the planet.
According to several sources, there are today more than 1000 contests per
year... Today, we support most of the national and international contests
(abt 100), which represent the vast majority of entrants in the contesting
community. Apart from very few exceptions, we
  don't intend to add every QSO party today, mostly because there are very
numerous and rules are pretty hard to include in our current core (ex :
Rovers with multiple Q depending on his location, etc.). For sure, we could
do a "light" version by eliminating those "exotic" rules and classes, but it
is not our philosophy (at least, not mine). In short, the TX QP has been
written by accident (and is not so well supported, for the reasons expressed
few lines above).

3/ Our choice to add such or such contest, is today much more oriented by
its nature (how many entrants, history, rules modifications along the years,
published format of the Cabrillo log file and rules, etc.) and the easiness
to do so, and the assurance it will not require major modification of the
code, to ensure it will not affect stability (in the large sense of this
term : points, operating etc. ) of the 100+ supported contests (and
especially the major international ones : CQWW DX, ARRL DX, CQWW WPX, etc.
with all their variants). The more contests we add, the longer (and
numerous) are the regression tests.

We know that the lack of supported QP is currently a major bump for US users
(at least, the "casual" contesters) to adopt Win-Test. On the other hand, we
always claimed we wanted to favor WT features to help users to seriously
compete, rather than the number of supported contests, or - more generally -
the number of users. The lists of users in the top 10 boxes of the major
contests results confirm our choices.

73

Larry - F6FVY
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