[Dx4win] DX4WIN Status -- Observations

[(K7ZO) Scott Tuthill]

First -- to answer AD1C's question I believe 8.05 was released in January 
2011. Before that 8.02 was released in September 2009, 8.03 in December 
2009, and 8.04 in May 2010.

Second -- to echo other similar comments I am a very long time user of 
DX4WIN, since the late '90s. The fact is DX4WIN still works and does what I 
need it to do and does it efficiently and reliably. But, my expectations are 
simple: keep track of logs and QSL cards, help me track DXCC, and be my 
day-to-day real time spot processing, logging, and rig control system. The 
log management use is not to be underestimated: between my K7ZO log, my YN5Z 
log, and NK7U's logs, the later for whom I have been the manager for 20+ 
years, I have about 400,000 QSOs to keep track of and I respond to 1,500 QSL 
requests a year. Certainly there are more things I use a computer for in the 
hobby, but I use other software for them. I did look at Log4OM a year or so 
ago as a modern version of a logging program and software suite. It 
certainly does a lot more than DX4WIN but converting my logs over was going 
to require a huge amount of manual work if I wanted to retain detail beyond 
basic QSO data. Yes, some of the Log4OM  features could be added to DX4WIN. 
But, this leads to the next point.

Third -- if we really want Paul to add features to DX4WIN we need to make it 
worth his while. Someone's comment mention how using DX4WIN has saved them 
from years of upgrade bills. However, this also means that Paul does not 
have a financial incentive to spend time on DX4WIN. In other words, we are 
getting what we pay for -- nothing. (Other than AD1C's amazing work which 
earned him deserved recognition at Dayton.) So we should not complain. And 
there are some among us who regularly spend way more on various pieces of 
station hardware who would vocally object to a annual software maintenance 
fee. The N1MM+ development team, who are motivated by something other than 
money, have lowered our sense of the value and worth of software. That is 
fine for them, but it is not fair to expect all other developers to follow 
the same path. I have no idea how many DX4WIN users there are, nor how much 
they are willing to pay for a new release of DX4WIN addressing the top 
requests. I would encourage those that want improvements to DX4WIN to rally 
the user base and present a financial case to Paul for the work. Other than 
that, perhaps there is a way to open source the code and let others add to 
it. And, if Paul rationally does not want to spend time on the software 
going the open source route might be a great solution for him and for us.

Just my two cents worth.

Scott/K7ZO