I just released the first update to RaceTab 2 in a very long time. I did two main things in this update...

1 - Removed the illusion of needing to purchase a product key. It will always recognize it as the full version now.

2 - Doing a field event with a tied mark, but trying to make the winner on the second best mark did not work. You could change the place, but it still scored it as a tie. This is fixed and it goes by the place now as it should.

Download it here

Update: There was a problem with the first update that said you needed to buy it still when you tried to open a meet with more than 100 athletes (or add more than 100). If you had this problem, please download the small installer again and reinstall. It will fix this. Sorry.

Well some things have changed since the last time I updated this blog. I have been listening to a lot of feedback about what every body wants. We have a lot of requests to make this software available to people on a Mac.

For that reason (and others) I have decided to go a completely different direction than previous versions of RaceTab. As a consequence of that we are scrapping the entire package and starting over. I may be able to translate parts of the code over, but...

For those of you not technically inclined, skip this paragraph. Previously I was developing the software on the Microsoft .NET 2.0 Framework. I was planning to start using .NET 3.5 in this version. Instead I have decided to go a completely different direction and develop it in Adobe Air. This is going to create operating system independence and a lot of possibilities for integrating with the internet more easily. We are also now using a SQLite database instead of an XML file format. The next verion's file extension will be RTAB3 instead of RTAB. For backwards compatability we will allow you to import from the old RTAB XML format.

Now that everyone has joined us again... we are actively looking for partners and sponsors of the project. The plan is to raise some money to hire a full-time developer for about 6 months to work on this project. And/or to get a group of skilled programmer volunteers to contribute to the project.

RaceTab 3 will be delayed until at least cross country season in the fall of 2009. If we don't have it ready by then we definitely want to be ready for indoor 2009-2010.

We have a LOT of plans of how to make the whole experience better and introduce some really innovative features. We are going to of course integrate tightly with MileSplit and any partners who come along with the project. But one thing that we will NOT do, unlike what Hytek has done, is create a meet management program that attempts to lock everyone else out. We will keep it open to as many different online registration systems, timers, cameras, chips, other meet management systems, and other software.

And we want to keep it free. Which is why we need financial and volunteer developer support. This is not an open source project, but it is a community project. Please contact us if you or your company can help.

In anticipation of removing the concept of product keys altogether in the next version of RaceTab, we have made our current version (version 2) free as well. So while it will tell you that you need to purchase it, simply type FREE as your product key to unlock the full version.

I am currently working on the next version of RaceTab. It will be much improved in every way and will be 100% FREE. The new version should be released by outdoor track season (January or February). We will have beta/preview versions available here if you want to test a pre-release. So check back!

If you are looking to download the current version (2.11) you can do so on this page: Downloads

Welcome to the new RaceTab web site. We have this new blog format so that updates can be easily posted.