[Dxspider-support] Adding ^mode^?

[Dirk Koopman]

On 21/01/14 19:37, Lee Sawkins wrote:
> Mike
> The real problem is that there are no "official" standards for DX
> Cluster software.  What is needed is a group to get together and agree
> on what these standards should be. Then all the software writers need to
> follow these standards.
> You will find there is quite a bit of compatibility between DX Spider
> and CC Cluster as Dirk and I have worked together to do this.  AR
> Cluster versions 4 and 6 are not even compatible with each other, let
> alone anything else.
> Many spotters, especially for data modes, put the mode as the first word
> of the comments.  My node software reformats Skimmer spots to put the
> mode as the first word in the comments field.  In my opinion this is the
> best solution at the present time.  This format is both human and
> machine readable.

Standards... Hmm.... Nice to have...

Lee and I can (and have) worked together successfully in the past. The 
same cannot be said of Terry and me. And it isn't for want of trying (on 
my part) either.

Unfortunately, I think that Terry regards (possibly now regarded?) ARC 
as a "product" that is (was?) worth money. In that light he regards 
DXSpider as a) competition and b) inferior for a host of reasons (no UI, 
written in some stupid language, "slow", no database etc etc). And his 
views are worth respect - however much anyone might disagree.

But it is a great pity that he insists on ploughing his own furrow 
without any real engagement with other authors. Until he changes his 
mind, I don't think we are going to get any further.

In the meantime, using the power of said stupid language, I could parse 
the comments section for a list of "standard" modes and, at least, do 
something like "sh/dx mode jt" (in the spirit of "SH/DX qra jn86" or 
"SH/DX iota eu-06").

Dirk