Hi Folks, I've been trying to resist commentary on this topic, but the keyboard got the better of me.
I can empathize with those of you who lost data. Mike you were not the only one. It's unfortunate that what happened, happened. First of all, a "perfect storm" was somewhat responsible for what happened: - The ARRL added a new entity, the first one in over a year. - I was away on vacation, otherwise I would have issued the country file changes sooner. In fact, I've also been sick on/off going on 4 weeks now, so I have not been as fast in getting changes turned around. - a bug in the program - the holidays were upon us On December 23 (the day after I returned from vacation), I released an updated country file: http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/dx4win/2007-December/010684.html but some damage had already been done. On December 27 (my first day "back" after the holidays), I wrote a detailed application note on how to add a new entity: http://dx4win.ad1c.us/appnotes/entity.htm In the process, I was able to reproduce the bug, and Paul confirmed it with me that same day. He posted to the reflector on December 29: http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/dx4win/2007-December/010767.html As soon as I understood the bug, I added this paragraph to the app. note: "This next step is critically important. You must exit DX4WIN completely and restart the program. If you do not do this, there exists the possibility for logbook data corruption!" The bug was subtle; it only affected USA entries, which was unusual, and it was possible to not even notice the problem until it was too late (you saved a corrupted log). That's the background. This has raised a few issues: 1. How could this bug have snuck through the testing process? 2. DX4WIN has an inferior architecture that can result in unintended logbook changes (loss of data) 3. The country files have errors I can't answer #1, it "just did". I don't know in which version the problem started, whether it's unique to 7.03, an earlier 7.0x, or even 6.0x. As far as #2, the program works the way Paul designed it. Contrary to some assertions, not all logging programs store immutable QSO records, CT being one example. I don't know about the internal workings of other programs. If this architecture does not suit you, then you are free to choose another logging program. I have been using DX4WIN for about 10 years now, and have only lost ONE QSO in that entire time. Over a year ago, I wrote an application note about backup strategies: http://dx4win.ad1c.us/appnotes/backup.htm When making changes to your log or the country file, you should ALWAYS make a backup of both files in case something goes wrong. I know this is like closing the barn door once the horse has escaped. However, what if your hard drive got corrupted, or your computer was stolen or otherwise compromised? How safe is your data? I have been using Carbonite for a couple of years now. Both Carbonite and Mozy give you about 2GB of free off-line storage. Finally, regarding country file errors. I have been working since February, 2003 (going on 5 years now) to improve the country file. I can't even guess how many hours of my time this has consumed, since I research all prefix/callsign changes before adding them to the country file. Nor how many lines of code I have written to generate the country files and check QSL manager data. Compare these statistics: Release #1 - 14 February 2003 Prefixes: 3,874 Callsigns: 2,360 Managers: 6,118 Release #45 - 23 December 2007 Prefixes: 4,315 Callsigns: 6,386 Managers: 35,508 It is my (humble) opinion that DX4WIN has the most accurate country database of any logging program out there, but of course I have nothing to back that up. Several times, people have approached me to use this data, and each time I have refused, believing that it's part of the program's "value add". The data is only as good as what people feed to me, so if there are errors or omissions, please let me know! I usually give a couple of rounds of "warnings" before I release the country file, so there are plenty of opportunities to make changes. Furthermore, some of the utilities I wrote, like supporting the CQ DX Marathon, or comparing your DXCC statistics to LoTW, rely on people using a current country file. In summary: - bugs happen - protect (backup) your data Finally, if you have upgraded from 7.01 (2005) to 7.02 (2006), or 7.02 (2006) to 7.03 (2007), then you have not paid an upgrade fee in a couple of years. Paul works on the program when he can. NO ONE gets rich writing software for amateur radio operators. I know of at least one logging program that charges for its annual update. I also remember that when I was at Dayton a couple of years ago, their booth had almost no traffic, while the DX4WIN booth was teeming with activity. Steve and Paul must be doing something right. 73 - Jim AD1C -- Jim Reisert AD1C/?, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, http://www.ad1c.us From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Mon Jan 7 14:15:17 2008 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Victor West) Date: Mon Jan 7 14:18:10 2008 Subject: [Dx4win] Unhappy with DX4WIN References: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> But I still wish we had some updated rig files. FT-950 specifically for me. de Vic, N5YY ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Reisert AD1C" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, January 07, 2008 1:01 PM Subject: Re: [Dx4win] Unhappy with DX4WIN > Hi Folks, > > I've been trying to resist commentary on this topic, but the keyboard got > the > better of me. > > I can empathize with those of you who lost data. Mike you were not the > only > one. It's unfortunate that what happened, happened. > > First of all, a "perfect storm" was somewhat responsible for what > happened: > > - The ARRL added a new entity, the first one in over a year. > > - I was away on vacation, otherwise I would have issued the country file > changes sooner. In fact, I've also been sick on/off going on 4 weeks > now, so I have not been as fast in getting changes turned around. > > - a bug in the program > > - the holidays were upon us > > On December 23 (the day after I returned from vacation), I released an > updated > country file: > > http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/dx4win/2007-December/010684.html > > but some damage had already been done. > > On December 27 (my first day "back" after the holidays), I wrote a > detailed > application note on how to add a new entity: > > http://dx4win.ad1c.us/appnotes/entity.htm > > In the process, I was able to reproduce the bug, and Paul confirmed it > with me > that same day. He posted to the reflector on December 29: > > http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/dx4win/2007-December/010767.html > > As soon as I understood the bug, I added this paragraph to the app. note: > > "This next step is critically important. You must exit DX4WIN > completely and restart the program. If you do not do this, there > exists the possibility for logbook data corruption!" > > The bug was subtle; it only affected USA entries, which was unusual, and > it was > possible to not even notice the problem until it was too late (you saved a > corrupted log). > > That's the background. This has raised a few issues: > > 1. How could this bug have snuck through the testing process? > > 2. DX4WIN has an inferior architecture that can result in unintended > logbook changes (loss of data) > > 3. The country files have errors > > I can't answer #1, it "just did". I don't know in which version the > problem > started, whether it's unique to 7.03, an earlier 7.0x, or even 6.0x. > > As far as #2, the program works the way Paul designed it. Contrary to > some > assertions, not all logging programs store immutable QSO records, CT being > one > example. I don't know about the internal workings of other programs. If > this > architecture does not suit you, then you are free to choose another > logging > program. I have been using DX4WIN for about 10 years now, and have only > lost > ONE QSO in that entire time. > > Over a year ago, I wrote an application note about backup strategies: > > http://dx4win.ad1c.us/appnotes/backup.htm > > When making changes to your log or the country file, you should ALWAYS > make a > backup of both files in case something goes wrong. I know this is like > closing > the barn door once the horse has escaped. However, what if your hard > drive got > corrupted, or your computer was stolen or otherwise compromised? How safe > is > your data? I have been using Carbonite for a couple of years now. Both > Carbonite and Mozy give you about 2GB of free off-line storage. > > Finally, regarding country file errors. I have been working since > February, > 2003 (going on 5 years now) to improve the country file. I can't even > guess > how many hours of my time this has consumed, since I research all > prefix/callsign changes before adding them to the country file. Nor how > many > lines of code I have written to generate the country files and check QSL > manager data. Compare these statistics: > > Release #1 - 14 February 2003 > > Prefixes: 3,874 > Callsigns: 2,360 > Managers: 6,118 > > Release #45 - 23 December 2007 > > Prefixes: 4,315 > Callsigns: 6,386 > Managers: 35,508 > > It is my (humble) opinion that DX4WIN has the most accurate country > database of > any logging program out there, but of course I have nothing to back that > up. > Several times, people have approached me to use this data, and each time I > have > refused, believing that it's part of the program's "value add". > > The data is only as good as what people feed to me, so if there are errors > or > omissions, please let me know! I usually give a couple of rounds of > "warnings" > before I release the country file, so there are plenty of opportunities to > make > changes. Furthermore, some of the utilities I wrote, like supporting the > CQ DX > Marathon, or comparing your DXCC statistics to LoTW, rely on people using > a > current country file. > > In summary: > > - bugs happen > - protect (backup) your data > > Finally, if you have upgraded from 7.01 (2005) to 7.02 (2006), or 7.02 > (2006) > to 7.03 (2007), then you have not paid an upgrade fee in a couple of > years. > Paul works on the program when he can. NO ONE gets rich writing software > for > amateur radio operators. I know of at least one logging program that > charges > for its annual update. I also remember that when I was at Dayton a couple > of > years ago, their booth had almost no traffic, while the DX4WIN booth was > teeming with activity. Steve and Paul must be doing something right. > > 73 - Jim AD1C > > > -- > Jim Reisert AD1C/?, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, http://www.ad1c.us > _______________________________________________ > Dx4win mailing list > [email protected] > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/dx4win >
