I'm not having a shot at anyone here, I know the guys who run major events work very hard and have a difficult task.

My point is that at several recent major events, computer problems have had a big impact.

I am not an expert in this field but I have to ask why it is such a problem to have a stable platform which can count laps accurately and do the necessary sorting of drivers for finals? I'm sure that that is all that is required and surely someone can come up with the software which is simple to use and has clear basic minimum requirements for the hardware required to run the program effectively.

Perhaps the current programs available have too many options and are too complex, I don't know.

I would be interested in other racers opinions.

normally one would expect the computer that a club uses week in week out at a club day should not have problems like we experienced on the weekend... maybe a different pc was used?

Allycat should also share some blame when combined with certain computers. Minor bugs lead to big problems.

ACT club did a great job recovering, pity problem was not picked up sooner.

Yes it is very frustrating that we spend thousands of dollars and countless hours of preparation to get our cars ready for these events, and the operation of those events are usually left to a prehistoric computer running an even more prehistoric program.

Why cant the clubs that put their hands up for these large events have up to date equipment and software. The revenue for just one large event would more than cover the cost of a new, not just secondhand PC, and the licence for a decent software.

Surely this is not too much to ask.

BK Please use the correct name for that program!

Hi guys

Just to let you know that the Kambah club did buy a new laptop for the summer nats event. It was only used for electric, (experiencing problems) however the old computer was used for gas and they experienced no difficulties. I think the problems occurred because we received in excess of 140 entries! In regard to software, we have never experienced any problems in the past and it was our understanding that the new software has more bugs. I know that Eastern Creek use the new software and have had the odd hiccup!

You need to understand that running a big meet like this is very difficult and it is inevitable that hiccups will occur. Until you have been involved in running one you really shouldn't pass comment. You should be praising the few in Australia who make it possible for these events to occur!

Stephen Awizen

So what, the computer crashed, everyone got home late.

The event got completed, those that stayed watched 3 excellent races in both classes "A" finals & it didnt piss down on all of us all weekend.

If you read my post, I did say I appreciated the work put in by the organisers at the weekend but if was not just at Kambah. Tamworth and Wodonga were also beset by computer problems.

Some people are driving into the early hour of the morning after an early start and I think this is a major issue when a meeting is delayed foor hours, simply by computer glitches.

I would hate to see anyone injured or worse as a result of fatigue on a long drive.

I agree that the Sunday was a mess...

There was so much confusion... are we having 3 A finals or not ... are we have times saved from the 2 heats or it's gonna be all guns out for 1 heat ... then there was the sitting around endlessly to wait for the grid listing ... and when it was up .. I discovered that my name with a few others were left off.

I think that really capped the weekend off with the bad organisation ... the manual input for the final grid listing was finalised so no editing was allowed ... the only way i could race was for someone to drop out ... i didn't want to force anyone to do so .. so i withdrew from the a race i was not even listed for ,.. but it didn't mean i was not disappointed .. actually VERY disappointed .. did not drive 6 hours round trip , put up with annoying insects to be left off the finals...

i really do hope such incidents do not occur again ... if there is an issue with the number of entries causing the computer to crash .. then limit the number of entries .. first come first serve ...

One major reason for erratic comp failures, and not just with timing software

Microsoft Windoze

I feel your pain, the finals work great to watch but this is because of the drivers not the organisers

This thread was not a rant about last weekend in particular. It is about the fact that these problems keep happening at major meetings.

If the software can't cope with the number of entries or won't run on the PC's that clubs have, can't we come up with something that will?

We should be able to run meetings without worrying when the computer is going to fry the event!

What do the yanks use for something like the Snowbirds etc, where they have up to 800 entries?

Looks like http://www.rcscoringpro.com/ is capable of running some pretty big meetings; they use this (by the looks of thier website) at most of the big meets around the USA.

just a note: EC has had only 1 glitch where 1 car finished a final early. EC uses SlyFox and it has been very reliable.

Allycrash let the Kambah and Tamworth clubs down in the past, both clubs have otherwise always ran very good meetings. Put SlyFox on the same pc's used on the weekend and i bet the same issues would not occur.