[aprssig] Worst Path of the Day

[Drew Baxter]

I'm trying to figure out when we stopped being people-centric and started 
becoming whiners?.  If an operator is running bad paths or misusing the 
service, get in touch with the local club in the area, pick up a phone, try 
to find them on a repeater, or e-mail them.  Isn't this how we'd cover any 
other instance of QRM?

This isn't about IGates or Findu.  Those resources don't have the same 
finite bandwidth issues that will continue to plague APRS for the time 
being.  The problem is initiative.  If I see things I don't particularly 
like here, then I get on the horn to someone about it to find out what the 
reasoning is.  Likewise, they do the same for me if for some reason my 
IGate or my truck radio, etc. aren't set to do the right thing.  There 
isn't any verbal wars or anarchy.  Amateur operators do generally take 
minor precautions and then play the game of, 'if it's a problem, someone 
will gripe'.

Yes, it's an education problem.  However, many of the APRS users have to 
get the software from somewhere.  Generally, those users are getting the 
software from the Internet.  Perhaps there should be a link to a Cause and 
Effect web page on each site with software download, or perhaps future 
revisions of software packages should have a 'beat the user if he uses a 
ridiculous path' with an override.

There are other ways to go about this.  I don't think messing with the 
infrastructure or a secondary service such as the IS is going to be a 
viable solution.  The 'large stick' is the fact these people are on radios 
and there is a path that leads back to them.  Also, they have to carry a 
license to operate on the service anyway.

Just my thoughts with my flame shield on..

--Droo, K1XVM

At 10:57 AM 10/27/2004, Tyler Allison wrote:
>Let's all remember...the people with bad paths DONT CARE...either they
>dont care because they are lazy and just dont care...or they dont care
>because they believe it's their right to screw everyone else. Either
>way...only a large stick will cure the problem.