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View Full Version : New to synergism...any tips?


superfecta
03-02-2003, 01:57 AM
Finally deciding to use the computer to do the work and this program to help with my pace #s.Any tips to keep in mind?For awhile I am sure its gonna just be adjusting to using a computer and getting confident in my #s again,so any suggestions to expedite the learning curve?Thanks.

Tom
03-02-2003, 11:29 AM
I used to use the old handheld version in the old days. I've seen the new version and it is sweet. I think you will be happy with it once you get the hand of it. the only advice I can give you is don't fall into the trap of just looking at the numbers-you can get sidetracked that way. Don't forget, the race isn't run on paper
(I stole that from Fortune Hunter - it is sooo true)
Keep us posted on your progress- good luck.

midnight
03-03-2003, 06:28 AM
There's no way to expediate the learning curve with Synergism. You simply have to spend the hours learning how it works. Once you do learn it, you should be pleased with the results.

David McKenzie
03-03-2003, 11:58 AM
Originally posted by superfecta
Finally deciding to use the computer to do the work and this program to help with my pace #s.Any tips to keep in mind?For awhile I am sure its gonna just be adjusting to using a computer and getting confident in my #s again,so any suggestions to expedite the learning curve?Thanks.

Pay attention to the different colors of the pacelines (and read the help files to find out what they represent). That may seem like an obvious tip, but it's one I overlooked initially.

azmike
03-03-2003, 10:56 PM
Are your posts based on your "current" or "prior" use of Synergism?

Just wondering if your experience is recent.

Dick Schmidt
03-04-2003, 12:05 AM
Super,

The tip I would give a new Synergism user is to carefully set up the paceline selection controls. Also download a month's worth of back races and let the program build a model using your paceline system. Synergism works much better with a model.

Those who use the program will be glad to hear two important pieces of news: the long promised update is finally ready and should be released in the next week or so. The programmer was only a year late with this project, and those who know Bob Purdy are still amazed that he didn't shoot the guy.

Second exciting tidbit is that Bob is soon opening a new web site complete with a Synergism board. Synergism seems to have a remarkable number of winning users, many of whom have used the program for 5 years or more. You don't stay with a looser that long. Anyway, it should be a good place to find specialized information on this program.

Dick

midnight
03-04-2003, 02:40 PM
I used the new version, about two years ago. I also used the old version, circa 1987 or so: Synergism 1 if I remember. They upgraded to Synergism 2 around the fall of 1988, which was a whole different program. I believe Bob bases his program on the first Synergism--Dick would know for sure.

I never made a lot of money with the old Sartin programs, but I didn't make much money at horses using anything. With Doc it always seemed to be an unending cycle of: Pay for new software, pay for upgrade, pay for seminar on how to use it....pay for new piece of software, pay for upgrade, pay for seminar on how to use it. In the early 90's, most of the core group got tired of doing all the work while Doc made all the money and took all the credit, and most went out on their own.

I ran into a guy out at the Mirage the other day. He was using a program I didn't recognize (and I've seen hundreds of them). I know that he makes money, and I've seen his name frequently in the higher echelons of the contests. The program he uses? Good old Ultrascan, the old Sartin program that was put out after Phase 3 and before Synergism 1. He had the code rewritten with a Windows GUI and the ability to download and read BRIS or TSN files. In fairness, though, the man would probably win with a pencil, paper, and the DRF. But imho, that's true of most who makes money with software. If the basic ability isn't there, not many programs are going to change you into a winner. All the software does is crunch the numbers. They still have to be interpreted and analyzed.

Tom
03-04-2003, 08:42 PM
I had a version of Ultrscan called Comboscan - and I hit 100% using it! Never lost a race with it. My bankroll multiplied five fold!
All true.
I used it on one race, hit for a $10 winner, then the disk got corrupted and I never got another one.
Forme, it was the "perfect" program.

Lefty
03-04-2003, 08:52 PM
I sure liked that Ultrascan prgm and I got it for only $69. I kinda envy that guy who had his modified to take tsn or bris files. Mine was back in the manual input days. I still prob have one somewhere but on 5.25 disk. Yikes, seems eons ago.

David McKenzie
03-04-2003, 11:17 PM
Originally posted by azmike
Are your posts based on your "current" or "prior" use of Synergism?

Mike,

As a matter of fact I still have Snergy IV on a 3 1/2 inch floppy disk. It might be time to dig out the old Toshiba laptop and fire that baby up (I wouldn't dream of using it on a new notebook..seems sacrosanct somehow).

The colors I was referring to were in the new software. Or, new last summer. Perhaps the newer(est) version is different.

The color coding made it easy to select good races that were similar to todays' race...an easy way to quickly visualize the apples from the oranges.

JimG
03-05-2003, 11:35 AM
Originally posted by Dick Schmidt


Second exciting tidbit is that Bob is soon opening a new web site complete with a Synergism board. Synergism seems to have a remarkable number of winning users, many of whom have used the program for 5 years or more. You don't stay with a looser that long. Anyway, it should be a good place to find specialized information on this program.

Dick

Dick,

According to the note I got from Bob awhile back, you were going to be the Synergism board administrator. Is that still true?

Jim

Dick Schmidt
03-05-2003, 04:10 PM
Jim,

I told Bob that I'd help out. Since then we've both gotten very busy with other projects, but I'll find time to answer questions on the Synergism board most days.

Dick