New Software - HandicappingOS

[richrosa]

Greetings All,

As a few of you know, last year I released some code into open source to help you make a database out of BRIS files. That code was part of a bigger project that is now a commercial handicapping program.

Last month I have officially launched HandicappingOS, "The Complete Handicapping Office".

With HandicappingOS (HOS) you have a large set handicapping tools integrated in one program. HOS is web-based you don't have to buy or install any software. You don't have to download any files. HOS keeps track of everything for you including your wagers, trip notes, race comments, picks and handicapping models.

I have launched a website at www.handicappingos.com (http://www.handicappingos.com) where you can see screenshots and some information about the internals of the program.

This Thursday evening at 9pm EDT August 31st I will be running a WebEx(webinar) demonstration of the program. It'll last about an hour and has limited seating. If there is enough interest, I will do another on Saturday September 2nd at 11am EDT or 1pm EDT. If you are interested please PM me or email at rich@handicappingos.com

We are running a special program for all members of Pace Advantage, where you can get a subscription for September 2006 and October 2006 for $79 for each month. Beginning in November 2006, the monthly subscription rate will be regularly priced at $129. THERE ARE NO UPFRONT COSTS TO USE THE SOFTWARE.

HOS is part of the HDW family of software products. If you are looking for the convenience and portability of a web-based handicapping program, you can order a subscription by calling Handicappers Data Warehouse at (502) 570-0333.

If you would like more details, please PM or email me at rich@handicappingos.com. If you would like to talk by phone, please email me and I will send you a phone number or I can call you.

Regards,
Richard Rosa
www.HandicappingOS.com

[sjk]

It is great to see that PA does not have to ask about an ad. It is already there.

[PlanB]

horse racing PREDICTION is like ECONOMIC predictions. Too many intervening
VARIABLES appear.

[michiken]

HOS is web-based you don't have to buy or install any software. You don't have to download any files.

The key is that you don't have to pay for downloading data files. I sure hope bris sees this and realizes that they lost out on web based applications.....

[headhawg]

horse racing PREDICTION is like ECONOMIC predictions. Too many intervening
VARIABLES appear. And you're here on this site where we talk about handicapping because...? :confused:

Good luck Richard on your new venture.

[46zilzal]

I can vouch for the intellect behind this venture: TOP NOTCH

[shanta]

Best of luck with your software Rich

Richie

[the_fat_man]

The key is that you don't have to pay for downloading data files. I sure hope bris sees this and realizes that they lost out on web based applications.....

Are you kidding? TPTB at Bris are probably still celebrating the conversion to the FREE PDF CHART. Now, that's the way to run a service oriented business.:lol::lol::lol:

Anything that takes away from their revenue is an AUTOMATIC :ThmbUp::ThmbUp:

[richrosa]

Thanks Richie. Since you've seen this program since its infancy your well wishes mean a lot.

[bigmack]

Last month I have officially launched HandicappingOS, "The Complete Handicapping Office".
Well if looks count you're at the top of the heap already. No offence to the other camps but the layout of both your site and the 'look' of the program is exponentially more aesthetically pleasing than the competition.

The competition comes with some pretty strong data however. May I ask how you're generating your pace/speed #'s?

GL in your venture

[richrosa]

Thanks Bigmack for the compliments. I'll address that question a few ways.

The pace and speed numbers are provided by HDW using Jim Cramers excellent tools and variants. There are some adjustments made by me in some of the calculations, but not a bunch.

I plan to add more features in terms of pace analysis in the future, although I feel the application is very feature comprehensive. The beauty of delivering a web-based application is that I can program and test changes/upgrades as often as daily, and deliver new features quickly without having to redistribute software. Since you as the user are NOT responsible for data formats or files, or messy stuff like that I can concentrate on delivering features that you want.

This program is perfect for a handicapper who is keeping all kinds of records and notes in an unorganized fashion and wants to centralize it with good handicapping tools. If they want the ability to access this central data from their laptop, work computer, at a simulcast facility, or even by a handheld, they can have access to it using this program.

I tried to think of as many neat features as I possibly could and get them into the initial release. The first bunch of customers are happy. We're listening to them, making tweaks, and adding new things nearly every day.

[bigmack]

If I understand correctly Rich, a person can log their own trip notes, etc and the next time they run they'll be their for the user to see based on their log in?
In other words, do the settings and individual notations that a user makes come back each time they log into the web based server?

[richrosa]

yes, exactly, both race notes (global note for the race), and trip note (individual note for the horse) appears every time that past performance for that horse is printed.

This is an excellent feature for the trip handicapper. It keeps great notes for you.

Here's a screenshot. Trip Notes Screenshot (http://www.handicappingos.com/?q=node/17) If you create a login, you can see the biggest image of that screenshot, or I can email it to you if it isn't clear.

Also, I failed to mention that it tracks WPS bets for you and calculates an ROI for you when the charts come in. Here's a screenshot (http://www.handicappingos.com/?q=node/8)

[betovernetcapper]

Saw the banner a few days ago and was wondering when someone would post about this. It seems to be a very exciting new way of using the data.
Very best of luck :)

[traynor]

The screenshots, as several others have commented, are very impressive. In what way will this application select which entry to bet on? By that I mean there seem to be numerous ratings and calculations based on the standard data, that still require individual modeling, interpretation, and theory applications to select which horse to bet. Does this application include more predictive algorithms than other programs, or are the main features the variety of ratings, and the facility to keep individual records and trip notes?

It seems a really neat application, although I think many would appreciate knowing what differentiates it--in predicting race outcomes--from other applications (other than being online). That may have been explained, and I may have overlooked it; in essence, I am asking for the key features or capabilities that distinguish this application, and make it better for handicapping races than other applications.
Good Luck

[richrosa]

Thanks Traynor for your kind comments.

I have followed this board for many many months and have learned a lot. Most importantly I have become focused on a core set of features in a different software channel than previously sold by others. In HOS there is a track profile that allows you to build up models for track/distance/surface for the venues that you play. This model feeds an odds line and a mutuel/value line. When used as a black box, it has become quite predictive if you follow a consistent set of rules that you generally set yourself. There are screenshots of these tools on the website.

As you have mentioned, HOS is a set of tools that enable you to handicap a race just about any way that you want. All of the data and tools are there, along with some new tools that I have incorporated. To meet almost anyone's needs, the customization possibilities are nearly endless.

I worked hard on creating something different that I hope offers the intemediate/expert handicapper a new look at the way they approach their handicapping without tossing the years of knowledge that they've already built up.

[Sly7449]

Greetings,

Are there any others that is having a problem in the HOS Website as regards to the Font size?

Somehow when I click on that site, I am getting small Fonts.

L8R

Sly

[Sly7449]

Greetings,

Correction to above.

All is good after I went into IE/View/Text and changed from Smallest to Medium.

Hope this helps others that runs into this issue.

L8R

Sly

[JustRalph]

Greetings,

Correction to above.

All is good after I went into IE/View/Text and changed from Smallest to Medium.

Hope this helps others that runs into this issue.

L8R

Sly

you can do this on the fly by holding down your "CTRL" key and rolling your mouse ball..........some sites have the font locked........but it works on most.

[traynor]

Thanks Traynor for your kind comments.

I have followed this board for many many months and have learned a lot. Most importantly I have become focused on a core set of features in a different software channel than previously sold by others. In HOS there is a track profile that allows you to build up models for track/distance/surface for the venues that you play. This model feeds an odds line and a mutuel/value line. When used as a black box, it has become quite predictive if you follow a consistent set of rules that you generally set yourself. There are screenshots of these tools on the website.

As you have mentioned, HOS is a set of tools that enable you to handicap a race just about any way that you want. All of the data and tools are there, along with some new tools that I have incorporated. To meet almost anyone's needs, the customization possibilities are nearly endless.

I worked hard on creating something different that I hope offers the intemediate/expert handicapper a new look at the way they approach their handicapping without tossing the years of knowledge that they've already built up.

Thanks for the explanation.
Good Luck

[Sly7449]

JR,

Thanks for the Ctrl & Roll Tip. Works excellent on text.

How about the Graphics? Are they locked?

Thanks

Sly

[bigmack]

you can do this on the fly by holding down your "CTRL" key and rolling your mouse ball
OO I like that one - Tanks JR

[richrosa]

Thanks everyone for the kind reception to my new venture.

The webinar/demo scheduled for thus Thursday evening at 9pm EDT August 31st will have to be rescheduled, likely for next Thursday.

I will be doing a webinar/demo for this Saturday September 2nd at 11am EDT. If you are interested please PM me or email at rich@handicappingos.com.

[Tom]

Rich,
Congrats on "going public!"
I have seen some things from this and it is very impressive.
And it goes without saying, but I will anyway, Rich is one of the good guys - dedicated, honest, a real asset to our game.
Hope all goes well.:ThmbUp::ThmbUp::ThmbUp:

[Zaf]

Looks very nice !!!!

Z

[andicap]

Rich,
best of luck on your software but I think from a marketing point of view you should lose the Reagan salute: Being non-ideological is the best business practice. Even conservative Murdoch has many liberal programs on his networks because outside of Fox News and the NY Post he only has one policy -- maxmizing value for shareholders.

Myself I wouldn't let that get in the way of buying an excellent software of course, (why cut off my nose to spite my face?) I don't do business by ideology. But all things being equal I'll avoid someone who shoves politics in my face on a horse racing board, especially with a politician like Reagan who I genuinely loathe. I've seen Joe Mainardi insult liberals on the off-topic board and was so offended I won't even read his e-mails for Horsense. Why anyone who is in business of selling products to the public would risk the ire of even a single customer with overt ideological references is beyond me.

I just don't believe politics belongs on this board and I wish PA would ask you to remove the avatar. In the past he has asked others to remove avatars or signatures that were overtly political.

[PaceAdvantage]

I guess I was under the mistaken assumption that Reagan was more historical than political at this point (similar to when I allowed the Confederate flag avatar)....plus he's dead.....

You don't see too many "Reagan sucks" or "Reagan rules" posts in off-topic these days (in fact, you're lucky if his name is mentioned at all over the course of a year).

In any event, perhaps Andicap has a point, and perhaps richrosa's avatar does break the "no politics on the horse racing topics" term of this board.

Hey andicap, is that current avatar of yours considered political?

Let's put this to bed quickly, as I don't want to muck up Mr. Rosa's thread here...after all, he is supporting this board through the use of paid advertising....

[richrosa]

For those that asked, HandicappingOS is now represented at the Handicappers Data Warehouse website at www.horsedata.com (http://www.horsedata.com) .

[njcurveball]

I like the idea and the look of the "cutting edge" software. Many people do not want to maintain a database or download files.

I would suggest trying to strike deals with simulcast outlets to sell the printed reports. They all should have Internet access and if you split the profits with them, I am not sure why a few would not want to use their printer to make a quick buck.

I actually have been surprised Thorograph or Ragozin hasn't invested in a high speed printer to allow their stuff to be printed on track.

With the internet at home, I think many people will like the way this is designed and the HDW data is the best in the business,

I also want to add that I agree that Reagan is dead and does not have any political relavance in 2006.

Although it may be better to use his cartoon face from SNL. My favorite funhouse is the one where he is outside a fast food restaurant pounding on the wall saying something like "Mr. Gorbachev bring this wall down". Then after a few more hits is so tired and falls asleep. Too funny!

[michiken]

Rich was kind enough to invite me to beta test the software and I want to thank him publicly for that. This is my opinion so far:

- HOS has broken new ground by making a 'race form' instantly accessible. It reads as if one was reading the drf news print. The web application is unique in that there is absolutely no software to download (assuming you already have a web browser).

- All track data is stored online and is ready to go. No more logging into a data provider hoping that you chose the right track and date to download. No more unzipping or remembering 'what folder' did I save that to. No more having multiple programs open to process the data.

- A User has access to all track data at anytime. No extra fees per download, and no having to surf back to the data provider, etc. No more having to download individual files! Since it is web based, I could use it when traveling, not even having to tote along a laptop and printer.

- The software is very interactive but is not a black box. You still have the ability to choose your own paceline(s) and be adept at intrepreting the data.

- Sometimes I am overwhelmed at the tons of information presented but like any new software, I am still in the learning curve. It will take me time to understand the various charts, ratings and graphs (some of which are excellent).

- My only knock is that the small fonts are hard for me to read. A suggestion would be to have 'skins' via different css styles that a user could set in the options.

[keenang]

Andicap:
As John McEnroe would say "you cannot be serious". The guy is DEAD.Does that mean if I want G. Washington as an avatar that would be considered polictial.

Just a thought
Geno :)

[ryesteve]

Andicap:
As John McEnroe would say "you cannot be serious". The guy is DEAD. Does that mean if I want G. Washington as an avatar that would be considered polictial
Why would "living or dead" be a relevant criteria? I'm sure if you use your imagination, you can think of plenty of dead people that you wouldn't want to see on an avatar. A historical figure can be dead and still evoke a political connotation... but George Washington isn't one of them (unless you're a tory who's still holding a grudge over how the Revolution turned out).

[RobinFromIreland]

Wow, only just saw this thread - I am currently building similar web-based software for European racing; looks like some great work you did - must drop you a message sometime...

[Topcat]

First of all congrats to Rich on his web site.

I know this is not politically correct but I respect people who are not afraid to show their respect for those they admire-be it on the right or left.
If there is a handicapping analogy, it is the same as taking a betting position as opposed to betting all the horses.

Andicap wrote:
<I just don't believe politics belongs on this board and I wish PA would ask you to remove the avatar. In the past he has asked others to remove avatars or signatures that were overtly political.>

Maybe this is intended as sort of Woody Allen satirical comment on hypocrisy or I'm missing the <G> (or Andy has paid for an ad) but the DFA avatar site that Andicap has up is a commercial site and one of the most political sites on the Internet-for those of you who don't follow politics this is a is a site that "trains" and "endorses" progressive candidates. AKA Democratic candidates. Follow his avatar and you too can make purchases to support those candidates.-nothing historical about that.

PA: Either you allow them all or I think the same rules should apply to those on the left as the right.

[keenang]

Ryesteve and Andicap

Maybe Reagan was his favorite actor,


;) Geno

[bigmack]

I had hoped not to chime in on the avatar selection however...

I know that andicap is a well respected member here and I mean no afront but give me a break.

What Rich decides to use is his choice for goodness sake. acap, if you had that much of a problem with it how bout just pm'ing him about your feelings.

So that RR can get back to his deserved thread how bout if anyone has problems with ones avatar they go through PA or pm

In any event, I see he's changed it so - end of discussion.

[ryesteve]

Maybe Reagan was his favorite actor
Impossible... the chimp stole every scene... :D

[Tom]

I think richrosa came up with a nifty compromise......nice touch, Rich! :ThmbUp:

[richrosa]

Thanks everyone for your support.

If you get me over AOL Instant Messenger, I still have the Reagan aviatar there.

[keenang]

RichRosa

Thats too bad that you had to change your avatar because some person thinks it is in bad taste. I have never seen someone get so upset over nothing.

Good Luck with your new venture.

Geno :)

[andicap]

I knew my post would start a small firestorm but I stand by it and am happy PA made the move he had. I put up the DFA logo as a protest and changed it the next day. (It's a pun -- )

Off-topic but yes the Reagan Revolution still gets liberals bloods boiling much the way conservatives still hated FDR for years. And what if you had put up a Lincoln picture in the South in 1880? He had been dead for 15 years but still the most hated man in the region.

[betovernetcapper]

Back on topic, have you given any thought to integrating OS with other HDW programs ?

[richrosa]

Not sure what you mean. I guess anything's possible. What kind of integration would you like to see?

[betovernetcapper]

Not really sure either, have been using my current software for a long time and wouldn't consider changing. That being said, I can see the advantages of directly interfacing with HDW and a live tote board in real time.

[richrosa]

Honestly, the tote is a convenience. There are many features in my program that all add up to be a comprehensive handicapping office. When I describe the program I highlight the fact that I have a whole set of features available without installing or buying software, all centralized using a website.

Feedback from the initial set of users has been phenomenal. The group is really taking to a handicapping program that is delivered using a different channel.

[Sly7449]

Rich,

Good Demo you provided at the Webinar. Thanks for walking through an upcoming (5 hrs b4) race at The Spa.

Good call on Premium Tap for a $64 payoff.

Thanks

L8R

Sly

[richrosa]

Thanks Sly for the nice comment.

I just got a request to do a webinar this evening at 9pm EDT. If anyone else would like to join us for a demo of HandicappingOS, please PM me and we'll get you set up.

I am tenatively thinking of next Sunday morning, 9/10 go over some of the BEL card as part of a webinar. PM if you are interested in that timeslot. I could be persuaded to do that webinar on track too!! (excuse for my wife to let me go).

[NY BRED]

hi Rich:

as i promised, i'm taking this opportunity to thank you for your patience
and courtesy these past few days in discussing your program.

As Sly stated, the webcast was highly informative and the race we picked,
the Woodward makes you look like a genius on the selection of Premium Tap
as a real contender.


Best wishes on this user friendly site! :jump:

[richrosa]

By popular request, we are planning another webinar this Sunday morning at 11am EDT. Please PM me if you are interested.

So far the webinars have been very interactive and helpful.

[betovernetcapper]

Took it the other night and I enjoyed it a lot. Recomend :ThmbUp: