True indeed.
But you need to consider your overall target user base level of competency in computing too. I have built and configured several Flex Ready PC's for friends here in Houston, and these people are not competent in using a PC or Windows (none of them -otherwise I would not have to build and configure their PC's), imagine me having to also get them through the hurdles of using Linux. Mac OS - now there is another story, I love my Macs - but I will never relegate them to being a Radio PC... ;-) That would be a waste! Joking aside, personally I would love to see something on all platforms - it would be nice to remove the OS dependency and have a choice. -- Richard A Clafton | the brITish guy | W5\G7EIX RIROC - Hosting - Development - Technology http://www.riroc.com | rclaf...@riroc.com PugHearts of Houston Pug Rescue | www.PugHearts.com From: Mickey Baker [mailto:fishflor...@gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2011 8:59 AM To: rclaf...@riroc.com Cc: flexradio@flex-radio.biz Subject: Re: [Flexradio] Windows 8 It would be a mistake to use current share of OS desktop usage as the sole metric for choice of platform for a high performance application. Unless you were lucky, there were bumps in the road getting your FlexRadio working on your existing Windows platform. Many of us purchased another PC - or upgraded what we have in order to run PowerSDR over firewire successfully. Odds are that the "existing platform" didn't handle PowerSDR with two receivers, FireWire, and digital mode software well. When I began the task of getting a new PC together and making it work, I remembered why I got a Mac several years ago. The entire Microsoft experience is a quagmire that requires a competent helpdesk to make it work. I have NEVER had to call apple I know nothing about the financial situation with Flex - the following is generalized speculation after being involved with a number of technology startups as an engineer, executive and consultant. The metric to use for a startup company's choice of direction is simply the ability to produce a product. For example, if you have a staff and contributors with a combined total of 20 years experience developing on a Windows environment and none on UNIX/Linux/MacOS, you don't task them with producing Linux-based software - or you will have made the choice to go out of business, unless you have infusion of capital and a waiting market for the resulting product. Inversely, you don't ask open source developers to work on .NET projects unless they have that specific skill. To FlexRadio, I'll bet that ship has sailed. The choice for PowerSDR has been made, unless the amateur radio market is a lot more lucrative than I think it is, parallel code development for another OS would be a very difficult choice that would require funding - which required payback at some point in time and competes with funding for support and development for the current product! PowerSDR-like software for Linux will come if and when the transceiver hardware and firmware is well documented to the outside world and someone is willing to take the time and risk the dollars for development. Flex could subjugate their risk by licensing source code and design details to a competent group with the understanding that everyone shares in profits in the resulting product. There are other SDRs out there, most of us know that. But there's nothing in the world that works as well for amateur radio as a FlexRadio and PowerSDR. FlexRadio has a nice product, it works on the current Windows 7 platform well, but I would like to see a MacOS version. But, if if ain't broke... 73, Mickey N4MB On Mon, Sep 12, 2011 at 8:02 PM, Richard Clafton <rclaf...@riroc.com> wrote: This will probably explain better why there is not much advantage in concentrating time on expensive development for a minority operating system. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_share_of_desktop_operating_systems 2.38% share in the OS market for Linux. -- Richard A Clafton | the brITish guy | W5\G7EIX RIROC - Hosting - Development - Technology http://www.riroc.com | rclaf...@riroc.com PugHearts of Houston Pug Rescue | www.PugHearts.com -----Original Message----- From: flexradio-boun...@flex-radio.biz [mailto:flexradio-boun...@flex-radio.biz] On Behalf Of Ross Stenberg Sent: Monday, September 12, 2011 6:47 PM To: flexradio@flex-radio.biz Subject: Re: [Flexradio] Windows 8 If you want to stay with the masses, there is only one choice...Ubuntu. On 9/12/2011 5:55 PM, Dave Walker wrote: > Which distro do you suggest flex align themselves with? > > _______________________________________________ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/ _______________________________________________ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/ _______________________________________________ FlexRadio Systems Mailing List FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz http://mail.flex-radio.biz/mailman/listinfo/flexradio_flex-radio.biz Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/flexradio%40flex-radio.biz/ Knowledge Base: http://kc.flexradio.com/ Homepage: http://www.flexradio.com/
