Re: Bob McGwier's post: With the advent of the twisted /trusted computing /and the DRM signed driver requirements as well as new hardware requirements for Vista compatible boards, we may be in deep weeds in the future. The great strength of Software Defined Radio can also be its Achilles heel, if Vista is any indication. The radio could be held hostage to Microsoft's dictates. It appears, near as I can tell, in this convoluted (to me) scheme of Microsoft's that we WILL be held hostage to the whims of Microsoft with increased costs and loss of freedom to use our computers as we see fit when we install Vista.
The philosophy behind SDR is individual flexibility and freedom by using infinitely configurable software to be the "guts" of the radio. The use of software allows almost infinite flexibility. This presupposes that the OS and the hardware (PC) itself is constructed/made with no "built-in" restrictions. When we get hardware and software requirements that add such restrictions, the law of unintended consequences will really increase the complexity of our systems in the future and potentially severely limit our options. Development costs for both software and hardware could potentially soar, making our SDR's as, or more, expensive than the rigs competing with SDR (such as IC-7800, etc). Maybe I am crying wolf here. But if I am not, the conversion of SDR to Linux is of paramount importance. Dependence upon Microsoft/Apple may be a severe mistake for SDR for the masses. My wife just promised me an SDR, and other goodies, early in 2007. Now I am not so sure... What do Eric, Gerald and the others think? Brad KE4XJ _______________________________________________ FlexRadio mailing list [email protected] http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archive Link: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ FlexRadio Homepage: http://www.flex-radio.com
