Fred

Has technology not yet reached into the wilderness of the Northeast? :-)

    But, seriously, Fred has a very valid point. None of my computers — all current vintage — contain DVD/CD drives. While I have maintained standalone units that can connect to some of my computers so that I can access otherwise unaccessible data, CDs/DVDs are no longer current for the sharing of files an media.

    Thumb drives/USB sticks are the current standard. The primary drawback is the cost differential between a stick and a CD/DVD. But, since fewer and fewer devices are able to read a CD/DVD, we must adapt.

    An even cheaper method is to permit the material to be downloaded. Most of the software and research materials I use are acquired through downloads.

    We should begin exploring transitioning to a medium that is more current. It makes no sense to offer materials in a format that 50-80% of our Members cannot access.

_______________________________________

John Robert Stratton

N5AUS

Director

West Gulf Division

Office: 512-445-6262

Cell: 512-426-2028

P.O. Box 2232

Austin, Texas 78768-2232

_______________________________________

On 1/21/20 10:43 PM, Fred Hopengarten wrote:

Colleagues:

Today I received “Amateur Radio Contesting for Beginners” by K1DG, and a CD of ARRL 2019 periodicals – on DVD. I am somewhat grateful.

Query: Is distribution by DVD the modern way to distribute periodicals? Wouldn’t it be better, and cheaper (?) to distribute on a USB stick? No laptop, Kindle, iPad, or mobile phone in my household can read a DVD.

To which committee is my query best addressed?

Fred Hopengarten, Esq. K1VR

Six Willarch Road

Lincoln, MA 01773

781.259.0088, k1vr@arrl.org

New England Director

Serving ME, NH, VT, MA, RI and CT
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