We've been debating this topic on and off for at least 15 years, and yet one
question remains unanswered:
Why do YOU want to look at MY log?
It's one thing for the log to be turned in as part of the entry to a contest
sponsor... that's part of the deal to be considered for any type of award or
recognition post-contest, and has been throughout the entire nature of
contesting as we know it.
But why do YOU want to look at MY log?
Post-contest analysis? For what purpose? And why should my log without my
prior consent be made part of the data for your research project?
To catch cheating? Without prior demonstration that cheating is going on?
What a sad commentary on the inherent trust that used to exist, to assume
that because there are always a few who push the envelope and bend the
rules, that we have to assume that ALL are cheating. What ever happened to
the basic concept of "innocent until proven guilty"?
To figure out someone else's strategy? Do your own dirty work.
Idle curiousity? Ah. I think we have something here.
As eloquent as the arguments and counter-arguments are, when you brush away
the fog, smoke and mirrors... people are nosy, and some demand that their
need to know everything because they want to is paramount. No thanks.
Oh? You say that means I must have something to hide? Why would you assume
that I do, just because I told you to mind your own business? That leads to
a very circular self-serving argument.
Now I know that this isn't going to sway many opinions... but in my mind,
that's the way it is.
So... first, I don't believe it is proper to pressure a contest committee or
sponsor to after the fact make submitted logs public. This, to me, is an
inherent breach of faith. If my logs may or will be made public, I should
be informed of this well before the contest takes place, not after the fact
and/or after the submission deadline has passed.
Second, if a contest committee or sponsor does decide that they will make
submitted logs, to one degree or another, public... then be prepared for the
consequences. You may or may not see a drop off in participation (people
operate in contests for many other reasons than just the love or sport of
contesting), but you may see a drop off in submitted logs. That, in turn,
may skew the log checking process, with fewer logs to compare against. Will
it make a difference? Who knows?
73
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