Discussion: Logging the direct distance or the red line distance?

I have been wondering for a while... What is your usage of distance logging with regards to orienteering? Do you log the distance (and elevation) 'as the crow flies' or do you log your real route distance (measured on the map or with a GPS)?

Personally I have tried both ways rather unconsistently, sometimes logging both distances (one in the field and one in the description). Perhaps it could make sense to include such a feature in logging.

For Orienteering I log the straight line distance in my log, but make note of my actual distance, thanks to my Forerunner... It's always interesting to compare the two.

Recently I have been logging the distance from GPS. I figure I might as well get credit for the actual amount of work done, and it also makes more sense for me when comparing paces. I usually have splits entered so I can refer there for the course distance if I haven't noted it elsewhere.

I log straight line distance right now. I plan to get a Forerunner at some point in the near future for training purposes, so then I may log the actual distance.

I log the straight line for normal orienteering events. Do not have a GPS nor the time to measure the actual distance. For semi-orienteering activities such as control pickup, hanging, or field checking I may estimate or record the actual distance; particularly when a lot of trail running was used to get there and not much straight line.

I generally log the actual distance per the Forerunner, figuring that it makes more sense in terms of tracking training distances etc. to record the distance covered rather than the straight-line distance. Then in the notes I'll mention what the straight line distance was.

It's not easy to log correct actual distance. For example if you log with one sec interval with forerunner, the distance of the track log may be 10% longer than the distance reading in the diplay. The device filters most of the tiny zigzagging, and we do it a lot in (Nordic)forests. Smart (about 4 sec) recordings are quite close to device's readings.

Forerunner's algorithm is meant for road running. I believe 1 sec track log distance is much more accurate if we like to measure O distances. But difficult to say how accurate it is. Running speed plays a role here too, you get much less zigzagging recorded with 1 sec interval if you go fast.

And we can't simply add any fixed % to device's readings, in some terrain types we can run quite straight and do lots of path running.

I've started scanning map into ocad & using the measuring tool over my route.