I agree with Pat, John, and Charlie.
The paper trail works fine and 'puterized systems have
not shown any advantage without preregistration. I
hold an SCCA Registration license [somehow it was even
a divisional license for a while] and have worked with
the region's roadrace systems as well as systems used
by other autocross clubs that use lots of different
programs to "solve" these problems. I have some
experience.
I like the paper trail for walkup registration, open
autocrosses. It is much simpler, recoverable, and more
flexible than any "puterized" system I have
experienced. By a bunch.
Somehow the proponents of new systems are very
impatient to get their creations all working. I don't
understand that.
We [NASA/X] have worked on the 'puter for results
processing, but it all stays locked away far from the
excitement, frenzy, and craziness of the event itself.
I was still doing hand results less than 15 years ago.
Pat was and still is ahead of the norm in all these
matters. I take two or three days to crunch in data
[maybe if I could sit still a while longer...], then
another two or three days to copy and distribute the
same. I figure a week is pretty darn good. Eager souls
are welcome to upstage me at this. I don't know how
Pat can consistenty do it in one or two days. Month
after month. Year after year.
Slipping those extra hours into the event timetable to
"save time" is not possible as far as I can see. Do
not belittle the effort it takes to do all of this
stuff, at least not until you do it for a year or two.
I think that folks regard this game as recreation.
That's a different concept from their work. They don't
want to do their work job when at play. So finding all
those qualified 'puter geeks for registration/results
magic or mechanics teching cars or even program
management types running grid, willingly doing their
work thing instead of having fun, just does not
happen. And shouldn't. Expecting reports in some
timely matter [who really has a need for the event
report faster than they get them now? Why???] smacks
of that work mentality. You gotta pay someone to
endure that kind of pain usually.
That was the original point wasn't it? Faster/easier
results or was it no lines at registration?
This is all a volunteer club thing, let's keep it that
way. You can push, shove and do all manner of crazy
things to complicate your life in the name of making
life easier there. OK?
And that's just my opinion. Since I was asked. 8-)
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Dennis Hale
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