Andrew J. O'Brien writes: > > > For the record, I don't even want to > >use ANY software that had such potentially disabling code. > > > I may have missed some of this thread, are you talking about > software that would "disable" if there was a signal present on the > frequency? I
I don't think so. The quoted message was NOT about code to prevent QRMing an existing QSO, which I'm pretty sure everyone on the list would agree is a good idea, if not mandatory. Replacing "robot lids" with "robot considerate ops" is surely progress. :-) The Winlink guy said that the programmers SHOULD have put a timebomb in the original WL program, so it wouldn't run after a certain date (now in the past), and added "lesson learned", which I interpret to mean that there is probably a timebomb in WL2K, and that there will surely be one in future programs from the same person or team. I think the message you quoted means that timebombed code is bad: I certainly agree, especially w.r.t. emergency communications. I'm a worker-bee emcommer, not the drafter of my local group's plans, but I certainly hope that no one involved in EmComms planning depends on any program supplied by people who think that timebombs are a good idea. Given the earlier message from the WL guy, and the League's position promoting the use of WL2K for emcomms, there is a risk that ham radio may avoidably fail to deliver a message needed to prevent deaths, injuries, or property damage in an emergency. A program that must be reliable, because human safety depends on it, should be a simple as it can be and still get the job done. Features that are not necessary should be omitted, because they may harbor disabling bugs that could get someone killed, or at least could prevent them being saved or assisted. In such a context, a timebomb is certainly an unnecessary feature. Software development decisions that are acceptable for games or business software can get people killed when used in programs critical to human life. 73 DE AE6VW, ex-KG6YLS -- Chris Jewell [EMAIL PROTECTED] PO Box 1396 Gualala CA 95445 ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/ELTolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> The K3UK DIGITAL MODES SPOTTING CLUSTER AT telnet://208.15.25.196/ More info at http:///www.obriensweb.com Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digitalradio/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
