What is the most commonly used, or best, software for administrating large orienteering races? Specifically for timekeeping, results, splits, etc. Including relays.
OE is used for everything in the us. Meos may be worth looking at too. Lots of people like or for its simplicity for local events but it's lack of network support for multiple computers working on the event makes it unsuitable for larger events.
Several clubs -- including HVO -- use Or.
I've been able to use MeOS with two computers networked together. It's a little complicated to set up in the beginning, but it works well once you get it going. We use MeOS for nearly all BAOC events. I haven't tried it with more than two computers.
We still use OE for the largest events, but that's mainly because of a perception that it's "official". We are planning to buy OS2010 for a relay in December; MeOS can handle relays but we found it a little awkward.
I will add that MeOS with one computer is a bit of a pain when you have day-of entries and downloads going at the same time. You have to switch modes back and forth. That's why I went to two computers.
Haven't had any problems with Or and the price is right.
But how large is your large?
Two computers on MeOS is quite sufficient for an event with 200 day-of-entries. This is my experience from several day-time VeteranOL events - on the plus side is that everyone has their own SI stick and names are already available in a database so there´s usually no need to enter anything except choice of course.
The extra computer makes it easier when early starters are coming in - as origamiguy also mentions.
I haven´t tried the relay mode so I have no comments on that.
Thank you all. The question actually came from my brother in Sweden, apparently they are having some issues with the standard Swedish event software, e.g. for relays. Swedish event sizes ie up to several thousand.
I believe here most popular ones these days are
http://www.oriento.fi/#/main#tf-products
and I believe
https://github.com/pekkapirila/tulospalvelu
is still used for the biggest events like Jukola for the extreme robustness.
Thanks to some dedicated users like Valerie, O-Lynx is used for displaying results at most major events in the US, Australia and New Zealand. - including the World Masters this year with just over 1700 participants and 16 TV's.
It also now supports running standalone for Orienteering, Score and Adventure races . Really easy to have multiple computers setup.