[DogParkList] MLDX enhancement

[Don Agro]

Hi Iñigo,

On 11-Aug-05, at 2:43 PM, Iñigo Bastarrika EA2BXV wrote:

> Well, it seems that I am the only "strange" ham that want all at  
> the same time...

Not strange at all - but certainly in a very very small minority  
wanting to redesign MacLoggerDX, and perhaps not understanding the  
design principles it was based on.

> I think the cluster must be always on the screen, with the log and  
> map.
> Is that too much infomation for a user ? I don't think so... or  
> perhaps I am a multitasking ham ;-)

Even if I thought that it would be a good idea - which I obviously  
don't since it is clearly the opposite to the way I designed  
MacLoggerDX - it would take a complete rewrite which is impractical  
and would only serve to alienate the majority and please very few.

> Of course, the will of the majority is the adress to follow but  
> that is just my opinion.
> I am happy with MLDX but you know, we are always thinking in  
> improving it.

I am all for improving it - but the design must be rational and well  
thought out.

Good design presents the user with ONLY the information he needs to  
pursue a particular task at any one time.

Presenting the user with all the information all the time would be  
worse than bad design - it would be no design.

I am not saying that MacLoggerDX is perfect in this regard. I have  
been constantly trying to improve the presentation of the information  
in the GUI based on user input for a variety of amateur radio modes  
of operation, and will continue to do so.

While you have the Map tab selected you can see the latest cluster  
spot and who posted it in the control window, you can also see if it  
is duplicated in your log in the control portion of the window.

Switching between the Map panel, the Log panel and the dxcluster  
panel requires exactly 3 key strokes - <command> 1, 4, 8 - how hard  
is that ?

I suggest you have a look at the manual page for the control window.  
All the relevant information is available there in the control window  
all the time...

<http://www.dogparksoftware.com/MacLoggerDX/Manual/Pages/ 
controlwindow.html>

Each spot displays in the control window the call, the call of the  
spotter, the country, the frequency, mode, continent, the distance  
and bearing - and the way in which MLDX derived the map location of  
the spot ! - what are we missing ?

And for contesting the Contest Helper Window gives you access to call  
completion databases and user configurable dupe checking in a  
separate window all the time.

<http://www.dogparksoftware.com/MacLoggerDX/Manual/Pages/ 
contesthelper.html>

If there is some information that you need from the dxcluster panel  
that is not available in the control window then by all means tell me  
what it is and I can look at making it available. Just asking for all  
the panels all the time is not useful.

Otherwise - I think we have beaten this horse to death.

> 73 de Iñigo EA2BXV

73 Don Agro VE3VRW

D o g   P a r k   S o f t w a r e   L t d .

email: dagro at dogparksoftware.com
   www: http://www.dogparksoftware.com
     iChat AV:dogpark at mac.com