Digital Options
There are quite a number of digital options open to the plane spotter when it comes to a master log. But they fit into two basic models, they are either offline or online. Your plan and the must have functions should cover this.
Online Systems
There are many online systems, I have investigated quite a few and have trialed a few – but I am by no means an expert on them. But I do have one over riding must have, this would typically be referred to as a show stopper if it was not available. I personally would not consider an online application where there is any constraints placed on your data downloads, the data that you input is yours – you may agree to the site making use of the data, but fundamentally it is your data.
Positives
These sites tend to be available no matter where you are, they are available on a variety of device formats. User groups can advocate for change and improvenment, the community support mechanism is a really useful feature.
Negatives
Ultimately you as a user don’t have control of the data, you do not have any control of the site. Many of these sites are dependant on volunteers for data updates and changes, so there can be consistency issues with data. They can, as has happened so many times be sold to someone who only has a commercial interest.
Offline Systems
You can buy a ready made package, Aerodata, PlaneBase and a couple of others spring to mind. It has been many years since I looked at these, but I have visited them from time to time – usually when I have to do something to my own software.
Positives
Many of these products have developed into very good products, well supported over a range of hardware and software with dynamic user communities. They have matured and have significant record counts, into the millions in many cases. They are evolving products, but many of them have a degree of product maturity.
Negatives
Some products create backups that are effectively proprietary from a user perspective, so tying you into the vendor. It is not uncommon for updates to break things, this can cause the people supporting the users to be swamped with work – but to be fair the resolution is usually fairly quick. As with any privately owned product and a number of them are, they can be sold and the userbase may end up worse off. Finally cost, these packages can be expensive over a year.
Next Post
In the next post, we look at the Moscow Method of determining requirements. Think, what does an application have to have for me to consider using it.