> We have indeed amassed collection of soundcard digital mode > implementations over the last few years, but I for one don't > appreciate these being labeled "oddball". Advancing the state of the > art is an important component of amateur radio; the lively debates > here and elsewhere over technique and policy are hardly "petty > squabbling", they are the crucible in which progress is forged. > KN6KB's advancement of busy detection in SCAMP was encouraged by > discussions here, for example. > > If someone seriously wants to stimulate concerted action toward > a "unified approach", then a clear exposition of technical vision and > mission would be a far more effective starting point. And when > followup questions are posed, straight answers would be appreciated. > > 73, Dave, AA6YQ
"Oddball" is the pejorative we apply to anyone or anything with which we are uncomfortable. Our discomfort generally arises from some sort of fear, be it social, commercial, or otherwise. SSB was an "oddball" mode to AMers. AM is now an "oddball" mode to SSBers. Most of what Edison, Tesla, and others proposed was labeled "oddball". The leaders of the scientific community in years past pressured the neo-religious political leaders of their day to repress the "oddball" view that the sun did not revolve around the earth. Microsoft spokesmen have frequently tried to stop the growth of Linux using terminolgy very similar to "oddball". There is "... nothing new under the sun." The plethora of digital modes, all of them in ways "oddball" to most Hams let alone fans of other digital modes, is an exciting evidence of technical creativity whose decline has 'oft been bewailed. That said, it may be valuable to the Ham digital community for folks to combine efforts and to apply brilliant minds to shared advances vs parallel duplication of effort. Movements toward standardization are fraught with risk. Standardization forced VHS vs the superior BETA because those with superior market clout had their way. We must continue to press for the best and not the momentarily most common, the best funded, or the favored of one subgroup or another. Slowly retreats from his irrepressible professor's lectern ... :-) -- Thanks! & 73, doc, KD4E ... somewhere in FL URL: bibleseven (dot) com Need a Digital mode QSO? Connect to Telnet://cluster.dynalias.org Other areas of interest: The MixW Reflector : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/themixwgroup/ DigiPol: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Digipol (band plan policy discussion) 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/