[Ham-Mac] Re: Logbook of the World

[Chuck Counselman]

>At 01:25 PM 5/17/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>I understand the modules being developed for LOTW will be able to be 
>used by Mac developers.

1. Despite the availability of cross-platform development tools, I 
believe that the ARRL developers concerned themselves with only 
Windows and Linux compatibility.

2. I hear that Jon Bloom (among others??) was compensated by the ARRL 
for developing the Linux and Windows versions.  I understand that no 
Mac developer has been compensated; nor, AFAIK, has any compensation 
been offered to any Mac developer.


>The software for standalone beta testing does not include Mac support.

It's not just the standalone beta software.  As I recall quoting KT1N 
saying, there is no plan at ARRL HQs to develop a Macintosh version 
-- ever.  Mac users have been left out, and in the future will be 
left with the problem of figuring out how to adapt, to the Mac OS, 
software that was developed without regard for Mac compatibility. 
Entirely at our own expense, whereas Windoze users got everything 
free, paid for not only with their dues but with ours.

Don't the dues and contributions (I contribute much more to the ARRL 
each year than I pay in dues) that we Mac users pay ARRL entitle _us_ 
to a share of the pie, too?

Did the Board of Directors of instruct the ARRL staff _not_ to make 
LOTW cross-platform, and to support one proprietary OS ?  Or is the 
staff just ignorant?  If they're ignorant, should they be left that 
way, or told to get a clue?


>What are the commonly used Mac software programs for contesters or 
>general logging usage?

I'm the wrong person to ask 'cuz I'm not a contester, nor do I use a 
computer for general logging.  I am a part-time DXer, and I did make 
DXCC last year and have 130 DXCC entities confirmed.  However, I am 
putting up a tower and a beam, so I have great expectations.


>Not scientific, but we did ask about OS usage in some on-line surveys:
>
>         http://www.arrl.org/survey.php3?pollnr=87
>         http://www.arrl.org/survey.php3?pollnr=24

In the latter poll, which had 5912 responses vs. 3507 in the other, 
16.2% of respondents said that the operating system on their ham 
station computers was the Mac OS, whereas 9.0% said Linux.  Almost 
twice as many Mac users as Linux users.  And, as the computing world 
drifts further toward open-source operating systems and application 
software, more people are beginning to use the Unix-based Mac OS X, 
and fewer people are using Windoze.  How does this justify excluding 
Mac users?

Both of the polls you cited were biased against Mac users because, 
for years, the the ARRL website (where the polls were conducted) has 
not worked correctly with Macintosh browsers.  I have reported this 
to you previously, and many other subscribers to the Ham-Mac email 
reflector have also reported it.  John Bloom's answer was that the 
ARRL can't afford to test the website with other browsers.  The ARRL 
website is developed and tested for compatibility with Microsoft's 
but not with other browsers -- certainly not with non-Microsoft 
browsers for the Mac.

A strong and constant theme on the Ham-Mac reflector is that the ARRL 
is Mac-hostile; and that, therefore, Mac users should drop out of the 
ARRL.  I have argued that, whereas the ARRL _is_ Mac-hostile, the 
best way to change this is for Mac users to speak up, rather than 
dropping out.  But mine is a minority opinion.  The majority opinion 
is that voting with our feet is the only way we _can_ vote.  IMO, 
this is a shame, because the ARRL does so many good and important 
things.  But there it is.  I wish that you and the other Directors 
would do something about it.  It's not good for ham radio, or for the 
ARRL, to shut out such a large portion of your potential membership 
and to discourage so many current members from renewing.

Thank you for your attention to this issue.

73 de Chuck, W1HIS