Quote:
Originally Posted by bill dedman
...I appreciate FAST NEWS as much (or, probably MORE) than the next guy, but I have waited sometimes an hour or more for posting of results that I heard on the online broadcast. I realize that that was most likely not the fault of the Fast News poster, but it happens, nonetheless.
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I'll try to avoid spamming the thread and answer all the replies in a single message.
Bill, when you see a delay in the results one of two things may have happened. First, occassionally the software seems to go into limbo and leave the message in our outbox. We think it's been sent but it's still hiding on our computer. Second, even though Larry Sullivan's great program can generate an instant report as soon as the class is finished we always wait until we receive a sheet from the NHRA (or IHRA, etc. as the case may be) before we send the results. We have no way of knowing DQs for tech, centerline, etc otherwise and in any case until the sheet appears we don't have the official results anyhow.
Tom, as I remember you were part of the pioneers on CompuServe also. I'll try and address your question at the end of this message as soon as I get to reminisce a bit.
Don, I have very fond memories of those days also. We discussed, argued, and speculated and it was one of the more enjoyable times I've had online. I think back to the early days when the only results we'd get were when someone (on their own wallet) would attend a race and agree to share what was going on.
For FastNews to get to what it is today, three people were critical. First, Larry Sullivan spent literally thousands of hours developing what is now an amazing, retail grade program. Other people tried reporting but the task is way too intensive to do without a program organizing the data. Second, Ed Dykes had the force of personality to gain acceptance from the sanctioning bodies. His dogged determination brought what we were doing all the way from "fans with laptops" to an accepted and respected news source.
And last, Rick Green jumped in a very uncertain time and managed to pave the way up until now. He filled the shoes of Eddie very well and continued to lead FastNews in the correct direction. His insistence on professionalism and quality turned our group from a ragtag assembly of computer geeks into a service which the maintstream media often turns to for information.
Though Dykes and Sullivan were awarded a Car Craft All Star (how I envy them!) none of the three has gotten the recognition they deserve for the trails they blazed.
Sorry for all those words which really aren't on the subject of the thread. I return to it at the end because it's taken some thought as to what needs to be said.
Good, honest, questions have been raised but I have avoided answering them until now because I DO NOT have first hand informaton as to exactly what took place. I've never published something unless I verified it to my satisfaction; in this case I will break that rule as long as everyone reading this understands that what follows is ONLY WHAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SOURCES CLOSE TO THE SITUATION and may or may not be 100 percent factual.
First, I have the understanding that some confusion still exists as to who owns the datastream. I have heard that both NHRA and Compulink have laid claims to it at one time or another. I have the impression that in the interest of serving the public, they've decided NOT to litigate the question and both simply agree to get the information out in the simplest, most effective way possible without further argument as to who actually owns it.
Second, I understand that though the founder of iCard had intended at one time to sell subscriptions to the feed, when it came time for that to happen one or both of the parties mentioned above objected to him selling something he didn't own. The money from the sale of the equipment evidently didn't last long and certainly wasn't enough to fund the yearly fees involved in running the service, which I heard were very modest.
Third, whatever payment for rights to the feed WAS agreed to, it was a problem almost from the very beginning. I know for a fact that the service continued for a considerable amount of time with the agreed-to payments considerably past due with more than one extension granted after the "pay or disconnect" date. I offer that fact to counter those saying "nobody cares about the racers".
So, sorry for the length of this message and again, please take my comments with a grain of salt.