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> 2, We have just lost all data - thankfully only the recent winter series - how reliable is Sailwave with regard to lost data?
Sailwave stores its data in XML formatted files. That means you can open it with a text editor and read it, and while that may not be a pleasant reading experience if there is a corrupt character you can probably hack in the fix by hand. That said I've never had to!
Not sure how HAL stores its data. Its a .net application so I've assumed some form of database structure which may be harder to hack. I also get the impression its a single file for the whole lot. Where you'd put a single series in sailwave? Again could be wrong but looks like sailwave would reduce the risk overall that way.
Would say that backing up is key. USB sticks are so cheap these days. File sizes on sailwave are small. We store locally and use good old windows briefcase to make a duplicate. What that doesn't do is offer us the opportunity to do an incremental roll back.
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> 3, If any of you have experience of both HAL and Sailwave for use in handicap fleets which one is easiest to use and which is better overall?
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I suspect some of this is down to experience. A Bit like asking if Windows or Linux is easiest / better.
It may also be worth considering a few extras:
- Future development plans. There are exciting new plans on the horizon for sailwave with a new multiplatform version which will be designed to run locally or server based, and will allow customisation of the code/rule sets much more than possible now on either sailwave for windows or HAL
- Regatta management. Sailwave for windows has a lot of features in there that should help with who has paid, who has medical conditions etc. I have no idea what HAL can handle in this respect. But if you or people who work with you are going to want to use Sailwave at the big open events at the club then use sailwave for everything so that its running slickly when the big open comes along. If your visiting RO's all want HAL then the same may apply.
- New sailwave will probably offer facilities to sign up for races online.
The biggest put off for me for HAL is this line in its manual:
"Note that when putting in the results of level races, you must enter the boats in the order they crossed the finishing line.
To help in this, the next place in the class will be entered automatically."
I often have a result sheet of 13 boats that reads 5,6,7,3,4,2,1,DNF,8,9,DNF,10 etc
Its much easier to enter them in the results page in that order than to find first then second etc... Minor issue, but sailwave lets you.
There is good user support for sailwave. No idea what its like for HAL (they have a group but how active is it?). But if you go back to your corrupt question the most likely answer is send the corrupt file to the group and someone may be able to fix it!
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