As per the idea of "understanding" or determining the firmware code of a particular product - I am referring to legal situations. Example a company goes bankrupt and vanishes from the market - how do the surviving customers determine what it was that the company designed into the firmware? Or how can they continue, in some other fashion, to support and upgrade the firmware that existed.
The list was discussing the "longevity" of rigs like the K3, etc. As a one who worked long hours in firmware & R&D groups - all sorts of situations need to be planned for. I guess the worst - if a "Index Labs" situation befell the Elecraft Inc. org. What happens then? Or a hostile takeover situation surfaced - ala kill the product. And, we as customers, what can we do, what can we request? Suddenly all the critical things surface; was the software documented? Can the customers some how obtain control of the last versions of the firmware/software? Did the designers use structure in their design, or was it more seat of the pants? Is the software full of "timed" loops, and critical timing software? Is the software even supported anymore in the industry? Is there a supported development system, for the software/firmware used? Given Elecraft's conservative customer-based nature - I suspect we, as customers, are in pretty good hands. As an engineer who worked many of these problems and worked with many other computer sci and firware designers in these trenches, I have natural technical concerns. Very bright computer engineers, can create some very difficult supportable software situations. Documentation, often is left to the end. We'll do all of that when we get time ................. I guess we are only talking a $2000 personal investment - worst case! Fred, de N3CSY western Florida ____________________________________________________________________________________ Tonight's top picks. What will you watch tonight? Preview the hottest shows on Yahoo! TV. http://tv.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com