New control descriptions.

[Arnold]

Not a CHANGE of something again. I hate CHANGE. If only there wasn't any
CHANGE then we could just go on just as before, which as everyone knows is the best way...

[pete.owens]

I have no problem with the proposed changes re knoll/boulder/boulder cluster. Boulder & boulder cluster then align with ISOM.

So when you attend your first event in 2018, and you notice a round blob on your description sheet what do you think it will mean?

I assume CONDES/OCAD (Purple Pen?) course planning will be quickly updated once proposals accepted, similar to what is happening with new ISOM symbols.

Assuming the club has upgraded to the latest version of the software - and the individual planner has installed the latest updates then the new symbols may be available (anyone know where to get hold of an ISOM2017 symbol set for CONDES9?). Even then they need to be aware that the meanings have changed. But introducing new symbols isn't the issue. The serious problem is changing the meaning of existing symbols. It will take a very long time for every competitor, planner and controller to un-learn blob=knoll.

[Duncan]

So when you attend your first event in 2018, and you notice a round blob on your description sheet what do you think it will mean?

I'll look at my map and see what is in the middle of the circle!! Half the need for control descriptions (the feature in column D at least) came about decades ago in the days of overprints that were manually drawn or could be misaligned. Rarely a problem today.

That aside, I'm sure with a bit of encouragement, clubs/organisers can publicize the change in final details / at registration, and planners can be educated. I'm sure within 12 months it will be a complete non issue. Whereas sticking with the current symbols remains an issue for newcomers forever. I don't like change for the sake of it, but in this case I think the long term benefit is worth it for short term upheaval, and I'm in favour.

[SeanC]

I know I'm likely to be alone on this on this forum, but I've always disliked international control descriptions. Even after 30 years orienteering I still find some confusing.

Regular feedback from newcomers is that orienteering is a confusing sport and that impacts on enjoying the first event(s). We should be looking at ways to make things simpler.

Words please at all but the biggest events.

[Freefall]

Better than "arboreal oddity" and other esoteric descriptions we used to have when I started over 45 years ago!

[Gross]

"arboreal oddity"

Ahhhh.... the old oddity control.... Musgrave managed to destroy one of those during a training camp many moons ago.... Dixie couldn't reach it so Big Jon pulled the tree down.... don't suppose I should have hung it at the top of the tree

[graeme]

Puul veidrik

[pete.owens]

I think in general anything which makes it easier (or less obtuse in this case) for beginners is a good thing and should be considered even if it makes things a little difficult for us in the short term.

So forget about ISSOM 2017 then - we should all adopt Xplorer maps to avoid all that confusion with yellow meaning open ground and white meaning forest.

[Big Jon]

I know I'm likely to be alone on this on this forum, but I've always disliked international control descriptions. Even after 30 years orienteering I still find some confusing.

Regular feedback from newcomers is that orienteering is a confusing sport and that impacts on enjoying the first event(s). We should be looking at ways to make things simpler.

Words please at all but the biggest events.

Small children may not be able to read well so why not go for pictorial from the start - they have to learn map symbols anyway - or are you suggesting we change maps for beginners to be verbal rather than graphical...?

[roadrunner]

I guess the worst point about the symbolic descriptions is that they aren't the same as the symbols on the map - something that could be fixed if they were printed in colour, as I think has already been suggested.

Remember that not all newcomers to the sport are children - while they might be happier with the symbols than the descriptions "re-entrant" or "platform", for example, it might be different for adult novices. It certainly took me a little while to learn the symbols, which I did at my club's training events - having to cope with them from the start would have made things a lot harder. (I started with the "green" course - there was no "light green" back then - so had the full range of symbols to contend with straight off; starting with "white" or "yellow" would be a lot easier.)

[Roger]

I know I'm likely to be alone on this on this forum, but I've always disliked international control descriptions. Even after 30 years orienteering I still find some confusing.

Regular feedback from newcomers is that orienteering is a confusing sport and that impacts on enjoying the first event(s). We should be looking at ways to make things simpler.

Words please at all but the biggest events.

Small children may not be able to read well so why not go for pictorial from the start - they have to learn map symbols anyway - or are you suggesting we change maps for beginners to be verbal rather than graphical...?

Pictures are shorter, simpler, quicker to read and more precise. Ban textual descriptions. (Regardless of what language or font-size they're in.)

[pete.owens]

The new descriptions are now finalised and come into force on 1st Jan:
http://orienteering.org/new-control-descriptions-published/
It looks like the IOF have seen sense so the knoll & boulder symbols are not changing.
There is yet another version to the flower bed symbol - so no toy windmills.