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Thread: [Acro] Re: Contest Scoring Program
Message: [Acro] Re: Contest Scoring Program
Follow-Up To: ACRO Email list (for List Members only)
From: RIHNAIRCO at aol.com
Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 12:58:00 UTC
Perhaps some history would leaven this conversation. This program (TBLP) has been created and modified over the years at virtually no cost to IAC. Very early on we attempted to hire someone to program the software to accomplish our goals. That didn't work. Our then President, Mike Heuer spent countless hours attempting to do the same thing to assist in making the costs within reach. The recently deceased Sheldon Klotz also spent many hours creating a program for IAC, again at no cost to IAC. Dr. Tarasof, a Russian aeronautical engineer, produced the first of the number crunching systems at no cost to IAC. Can you imagine the guts it took for a russian space scientest to create a program that would thwart the flagrant juding bias rampant in the USSR at world contests? Remember the cold war? Dr. Bauer, a German mathematician, then improved the program, at no cost to IAC. Dr. Long, a US mathmetician, then added another round of modifications, at no cost to IAC. Rudy Penteado, a Brazilian computer programmer and aerobatic competitor, then made the current version. He has spent many long sessions improving the program. He does not receive payment for his efforts from IAC. However, the product does have value as intellectual property. He therefore retains that value by offering the program to some countrys for modest cost and to IAC at no cost. If someone were to reinvent the wheel by developing something better AND give it to IAC I can imagine that it would be received and used. However, I don't expect a long line of volunteers to scramble for that opportunity considering the magnitude of the task and the lack of appreciation for the efforts of those who have given so generously of their time and talents. The forgoing is a summary of my recollections. There may be errors in some minor details. Mike Heuer is probably the only person that has the complete story. In summary, IAC is a group of volunteers who provide saleable talents to IAC at no charge. However, they reserve the right to sell such saleable items to others at market price. Dick Rihn, Past Pres. IAC Attachement 1: part2.html