What are your go-to adjustments at the track ?

[Matt49]

About this spreadsheet... I spent several hours last weekend tweaking on it and I was showing it to somebody to get a second set of eyes on the math. He asked why I was doing this and suggested that I get a copyright on it and sell it rather than giving it away. I haven't done that and may never but what I have done is created a password protected copy with most everything hidden except the data entry and the results graph.
At this point, I want to figure out a way to publish it online so that I can take it down in the event that I feel someone might take it and use it for profit. What I've also considered doing is creating additional useful spreadsheets (or ultimately having a program written) and packaging that as something that could be sold (by me) in the future. Kind of like a dirt racers math application. I could provide all of the formulas for how to calculate all kinds of things but ultimately, most people just want to input some stuff and see the results. The fact there is an actual MARKET for that makes me hesitant to publish my work for free.
Anyway...more to come on this as I think more about it.
If I can figure out how to post a picture on here I'll provide a screenshot of what it looks like with some sample output to see how interested folks really are.

[Matt49]

Let's see if this works

[Matt49]

Smaller this time

[race4dad 31]

Here is the trouble with things today. At first you say you don't mind sharing then get the idea that there could be a profit to be made and want to test the water to see if any fish will bite. Now to be honest I would want to get compensated if I thought I had something that could be marketed but I was tought to be of my word and if I said I would share my pappy would smack me if I backed out on that.

[Kromulous]

Looking at it on my phone, but it looks really cool. I wouldn't mind paying for it at all. I would think alot if big teams would have something like this already.

I like the graph alot. Package it up better and sell it, I say.

[Lizardracing]

You can't patent math.....or google calculators.....or spread sheets.

I use Excell and make them all the time. If you don't know how, the help section will tell you.

[Matt49]

Yes, at first I said I didn’t mind sharing. My initial spreadsheet was unreadable to anybody but me. I spent several hour cleaning it up and making into something that a person might actually be able to use (the screenshot I provided is an example). I then had it reviewed by somebody that I trust (mostly to verify my formulas) but they made the suggestion that I copyright the material before sharing it because it could reasonably be considered “intellectual property”.
I’m sorry if you think that “my word” on 4m means something but I assure you it doesn’t (in this context). If a handshake is what you need, I’ll give it to you…but not online. I don’t owe anybody anything for reconsidering my willingness to give away what I spent significant time developing.
To Lizard’s point, you can’t “patent” math. That is true. But you CAN copyright materials (that includes software or files) that generate output based on math. This is the entire reason the idea of a spreadsheet distribution stopped. Because you can’t copyright a spreadsheet. You can however copyright software code which is what I’ll take this to if that is required.
I know there will be people that say, “we’ve done this already”. Call them and have them share their results for free and please let me know how that phone call goes.

[race4dad 31]

Actually Matt I wasn't even judging you directly. And this was not meant to seem like a personal attack. You seem to try and help folks when you can with a simple answer to their questions. What I am pointing out is the way things are today. I run a successful business and if I say something on the phone or even on the Internet I feel I have to honor it even if I realize later that I made a mistake. Again Matt it was nothing personal.

[RacerX10]

I could probably run that data through some polynomial interpolation and generate the same thing .. but I'm *way* too lazy to do that

[Hi-Line BRC]

Market it as a cell phone app, with the ability to email the results to yourself. That concept works great with some of the scaling calculators out there. Id spend under $10 for that app in a heartbeat. Not worth my time, and you can make some coin!

[let-r-eat]

I always wonder why there aren't more apps for google racers. That's a nice simple spreadsheet Matt49. Host it on a webpage or something.

[Matt49]

Take your spammy sales pitch to the classifieds.

Now that is comical coming from a guy that pretty consistently advertises that fact that he's a Motorstate dealer and even quotes prices on parts in the tech forum.

[Matt49]

I really would like to create a way to publish this type of thing online. Just trying not to give away too much work for nothing. Obviously there are people out there that can appreciate that.

[keeks]

Just Stop SCD. Be good for the forum.

[Matt49]

Just a quick update on this. I didn't realize this but apparently you can "copyright" something yourself in the US. Sounds too easy but its just a matter of putting a copyright on it (the little C symbol and the year). So my next step will be to create a final copy of this which I won't really consider completed until I've had an opportunity to test it against actual spring smasher results. I believe all of my math is correct to this point but I think it's worth checking. One thing I haven't accounted for yet is the thickness of the slider between the springs. My current version assumes a slider with no real gap between the springs but a 1/4 inch is pretty substantial if we're going for accuracy.