Easy O-Software O-Forum

[Joseph Huberman]

We are hoping to finally have an O-Forum on easy software for local events.  I am planning to present on SI-Droid.  the three other most popular programs are:

• MeOS
• OE10
• Ór

If you are interested in presenting one of these (or another easy one that you use) please let me know.

This is not a heavy technical presentation.  It should focus on the ease of use and could include: the equipment, preparation, use during the event and results publishing.  The goal is to help clubs find the software that will work best for their local events.

It sounds like a lot, but it should be condensed into a 10 minute (or less) presentation so there will be time for questions and discussion afterwards.

I would like to target the 1st or 3rd week of March.  After we have a couple more presenters lined up we will pick a date together.

(The fixed schedule kicked the bucket a few months ago.

Joseph

===========================

Joseph Huberman

OUSA BOD, VP Club Services

m. 919-610-1788

[Blaik Mathews]

Joseph,

I can take the Ór part if you need an advocate for it.

FLO & SOAR have used Ór exclusively for a decade (ever since we switched from old-school paper punches to SI timing).  I have changed the software's parm files to post live results on our web page as opposed to Orienteering Ireland's. Over the years, I have HEAVILY customized their "live-to-the-web" PHP results viewing code to, among other things:

• Pack as many results on a single screen as possible, and customize the view for dark-theme to minimize battery draw on the display at venues without A/C power: Example
• Add a "Trophy" page showing the latest individual medals and team trophy calculations as we handle them (team score at each level = sum of best 3 times, overall = Orange score + 1.5 X Green score).  Example
• Add a "Suspect Control" page which keeps running totals of how many runners were seeking each control, how many found it, and the "fail rate".  Helps identify any potentially faulty controls and assess occasional runner claims that a control "isn't responding" or "isn't where it's supposed to be".  Example
• Add a "Class Statistics" page that summarizes by class: runner count, DNF rate, average time & pace for both the general runner pool and the medalists.  Example
• Add a "Outstanding Runners" page which lists the runners still out on their courses, how long they've been gone, how that compares to the average runtime so far on that course, and color-coded to highlight the people most in need of "assisted recovery".  Having this published to the web and in all the JROTC leaders' hands, updated in real time, is a big help in getting everyone back in a timely fashion to wind the event down to an awards ceremony. (Note that this page can't work without downloading the SI START box data and manually uploading it to the right web site folder, as Ór doesn't include this data as part of its regular uploads.)  This display is of course transitory, and I don't think I have a screen shot of one but I'll try to remember to take one next event to share.
• Add a "Download Results" link that anyone can use to pull down event results as a CSV, tailored for importing into Excel or Google Sheets.  Sample attached.

Over the years I have also developed a very detailed "Ór Event Admin" checklist for how to set up an event, how to execute it, and how to publish results and put the event to bed afterward.  It basically includes steps designed to prevent every mistake I've ever made and every "gotcha" I've ever encountered in 9 years of running SI/Ór events.  It also includes instructions on what to do in Ór to compensate for unexpected "adverse occurrences" like a control being mis-set, vandalized, or stolen during an event (yes, that HAS happened).

All of these of course are customized for the way FLO & SOAR run and score events, which may or may not mesh well with others' preferences, so Your Mileage May Vary.  But happy to share any materials anyone wants.

Blaik Mathews

President, Florida Orienteering

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[Blaik Mathews]

Oops, FUBARed the results link in the previous:

Example FLO Results

-- Blaik