On Sunday, October 28, 2012 5:57:12 AM UTC-7, Robert Dunning wrote:
The underlying issue with appending a turnpoint to a task during flight is a US problem. This is because Americans are about the only folks who fly MATs.



The problem is not just the 5 or whatever clicks required to add a TP to a MAT. To help a pilot fly a MAT, the ideal glide computer should do mo

1) draw 1 mile circles around all Control points in the Turpoint file and display their names and numbers, making TPs highly distinguishable from non-TPs and clearly visible on the map

2) when the pilot clicks one of those TPs, a "what if" screen shows the pilot information about "what if he adds the TP to the task" (estimated finish time, speed, distance.) (The SN 10 reportedly shows this)

3) Then the pilot can choose to either (A) add the TP, (B) cancel and resume flying, or (C) explore other local items on the map.

The point is that the pilot's needs from the glide computer while flying a MAT are very different from his needs while flying normal XC or non-MAT tasks.



Rob Dunning



On Saturday, October 27, 2012 7:47:44 PM UTC-4, jfitch wrote:







Well, let me count. If it happens that I want to insert a turnpoint on the current leg, the sequence seems to be Click on TPSelect TP from listDetailsRight ArrowInsert in task. That is 5 clicks. If I want it to be inserted in the next leg, then in addition MenuTaskTurnpointsSelect TP from listUp/Down arrowCloseFly, for a total of at least 12. But perhaps there is an easier way?



If the turn points are very easily modified (as they are in some programs) then you can go through the "what if" scenarios very quickly by simply modifying the task.

However, I do not fly contests *at all*. Not real, not virtual, not online. But I still use glider software on a PDA. I would like to see a poll of how many people who use a PDA based glide computer are actually flying contests. At my normal flying site, there are probably 30 active cross country pilots, nearly all have some sort of PDA with somebody's software installed. I think about 5 fly contests.

So my situation and my experience, glide computer â‰* contest flying.

But I still fly every day like it was a POST task. I may start on the ground with a vague idea that, say, going south looks good and put in a turn point to the south. Then as I start out, I decide to go more to the east, so insert a turnpoint that direction. Then a friend calls on the radio and says let's go further southeast, so I add that one - etc. The task is almost always built in the air.

Regardless of how you fly though, the ease of use of software is a figure of absolute merit. I don't want to have to do 10 keystrokes to add a turnpoint sitting here in my living room if I don't have to, and there programs that do it with as little as one.

In addition, the number of taps to add a turnpoint is only a sample test or surrogate for how verbose the user interface is in general. I applaud the efforts of those writing these programs, for which there is little or no financial reward. Unfortunately however most are not models of man-machine interface design, and yet are intended to be used in an environment where quick and unambiguous interaction is at a premium. I own about 6 GPS navigation programs for my sailboat, 3 are PDA based. Sadly, all of them have a much better user interface than most of the glider programs. Quicker, cleaner, less verbose, more consistent. And this for use on a sailboat with an average speed of around 6 knots, most of the time you can go take a nap for an hour and not worry about hitting anything.

Hopefully this situation will improve as software migrates to Android and iOS. These operating systems make it easier for the programmer to implement a more advanced UI compared to the rather antiquated MS mobile products.