Do It Your self

[John]

BillW
Journeyman



Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Houston area
Posts: 48
FH,

Best of luck on your system (mine is for in-house consumption only :-) so no grand plan, just incremental refinement).

I think the way I would consider a commercial package is the engine approach with an easy to use script language. (If you are familiar with EMACS ... a very strong engine for editing and a scripting language to make it do anything, the only problem is that LISP isn't a simple scripting language). But this type of approach would allow the captive user to customize it in any fashion. Possibly even in ways the author didn't imagine.

What was the subject of this thread anyway? I could talk all day on computer application to handicapping :-)

Again, good luck,

Bill W.



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01-04-2002 05:30 PM IP: Logged


FortuneHunter
Back from the Abyss



Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 100

quote:
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Originally posted by rocajack
FH,
When you are ready to show me how I can take all these paper and pencil methods and convert them to push and go and in minuites I have the figures. I am ready when you are.......
Rocajack
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Right now I am working on a program for internal figures using the BRISnet E1, E2, LP, SP figs. Reference "Turn Times" thread here, last post on 12/22. My post on 12/21 @ 4:31 am.

When that is done I have a layout for whatever calculations are needed with internal times and lengths.

I would like to think that by the Saratoga Meet, I could give you the basic calculations for each entry in each race in a report. Hopefully save you a few hours a day.

We could also collaborate with another one of the programmers on this board. Once you define the information that is needed to make your calculations I can design the database table(s) and a import program to read the information in. The other guy can write the equations in VBA and generate the report.

FH

[John]

Bill and Fh,
Thank you, but you are talking to an 60 year old computer illiterate. That is why I buy Haqndicapping programs that I can tweak here and there to help find the right selection.

Someday smoeone will right a program for the use of DRF where all I have to do is write what I want in there, like Recency within 30 days and it is in . The way you talk to each other I think I am on an other planet,,,,,,,,

Time for me to go tweaking.............Good Luck

[FortuneHunter]

Ok rocajack, I understand.

Actually, I started a Jim Lehane Internal Fraction calculation program with a couple of guys from this board over a year ago, but got side tracked. Maybe this spring.....

[BillW]

Rocajack,

There is nothing wrong with buying programs (There are a few on the list who would absolutely support this statement!). There is also nothing wrong with not using a computer at all. A computer is just a tool.

Your second statement "Someday someone ..." is the root of the problem in all software design. If I write some software that is simple to use for someone else, it is going to do what I think that someone else wants, not what he/she knows they want. Therefore you are a "slave" to the designers thoughts. The only way around that is to make the program configurable, but the complications go way up then. The only other alternative is to install human level AI (artificail intelligence) algorithms into the package. We are decades away from that capability/ :-)

Best of luck with what ever tool you choose to enjoy this game with, and please don't feel "obligated" to use a computer, remember, it's just a tool.

Bill W.