Patrick, As "your views" of what PSDR is appreciated, it is not the opinion of all operators of Flex radios. As "my opinion" of the use of touch screens might gain some attention, the final deciding factor will be the decision of the engineering team.
I think that this is a mute point. The only item to mention is that your comments that people that want to use touch screens for their user interface are not serious operators is offensive. 73, Robert KB6QXM "Ham Radio Open Conversation" Yahoo group owner/moderator ----- Reply message ----- From: "Patrick Greenlee" <patric...@windstream.net> To: "Neal Campbell" <nealk...@me.com>, "Robert Costa, KB6QXM" <kb6...@yahoo.com> Cc: <FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz>, <manual...@juno.com> Subject: [Flexradio] =Touch-Screen_All-in-One_computer_for_Flex-3 Date: Sun, Jun 10, 2012 6:30 am Flex Radios could be made, through software changes in PSDR to operate from commands issued by the operator's tap dancing and belching (See "Breakfast of Champions" for actual wording) but although novel, it wouldn't be optimal. Sci-Fi movies and slick TV commercials make great use of clever HMI (Human-Machine Interface, used to be MMI) but if you want to see what works take a look at military warfighting systems interfaces, not only fielded systems but next gen stuff too. Some of us take radio ops rather seriously but unlikely more seriously than military systems operators who work in some pretty intense situations. We may have a rare DX contact at risk, they may have their life or the lives of many others at risk. Better is the enemy of good enough. PSDR is definitely good enough but could be made better. There may be limited beneficial application of touch screen for PSDR but in my opinion it is not a good match for much of what the operator needs to do in the way they need to do it. None of my comments are intended to say you can't do anything and everything needed for PSDR with a touch screen interface but a touch screen interface is not a good candidate for much of what the operator does/needs to do. I would gladly admit that an iPad or similar touch interface used as an adjunct along the lines of the FlexControl, but wireless, could be a wonderful accessory, depending on programming of course. In general just because something is touch screen doesn't make it better. This was a lesson learned using touch screens at the lab (Space and Naval Warfare Systems Engineering Research Development Test and Evaluation abbreviated SPAWAR and NRAD) Patrick AF5CK From: Robert Costa, KB6QXM Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2012 5:53 PM To: Neal Campbell Cc: Patrick Greenlee ; FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz ; manual...@juno.com Subject: Re: [Flexradio] =Touch-Screen_All-in-One_computer_for_Flex-3 Neil,As you are the recognized SDR computer expert, I believe that if you tested or sold touch screen SDR computers, Flex radio in the future might make a few GUI changes to make their application more touch friendly. I believe touch interface is where everything is going, it is just applying the GUI and learned behavior to match the present smartphone, tablet interface.73,RobertKB6QXM"Ham Radio Open Conversation"Yahoo group owner/moderator----- Reply message -----From: "Neal Campbell" <nealk...@me.com>To: "Robert Costa, KB6QXM" <kb6...@yahoo.com>Cc: "Patrick Greenlee" <patric...@windstream.net>, <FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz>, <manual...@juno.com>Subject: [Flexradio] =Touch-Screen_All-in-One_computer_for_Flex-3Date: Sat, Jun 9, 2012 11:35 amRobertI found its not that you cannot use it but its not the optimal way to use it.I found it good for "gross" tuning but for fine tuning (where you would normally use close-in click-tune or wheel scrolling, its not as natural.Its also possible that I am so ingrained using the mouse that its what I feel should be used! A completely new user display might give a better opportunity for a touch experience.73On Jun 9, 2012, at 12:09 PM, Robert Costa, KB6QXM wrote:> Patrick,> > Interesting comments on your part about the inability for PSDR not able to be used with a touch screen. If you search YouTube you will find many video submissions using a touch screen with PSDR. Look at Ik3vig's many touch screen and cube3d videos.> > It can be done and is being done by some hams.> > > > 73,> Robert> KB6QXM> "Ham Radio Open Conversation"> Yahoo group owner/moderator> > > ----- Reply message -----> From: "Patrick Greenlee" <patric...@windstream.net>> To: <FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz>, <manual...@juno.com>> Subject: [Flexradio] =Touch-Screen_All-in-One_computer_for_Flex-3> Date: Sat, Jun 9, 2012 6:36 am> > > I had one of those at the lab where I worked. You could highlight text using > your fingers and then move it to a different position within your Wordstar > document and lots of other text manipulations all of which were slower and > more clumsy than using a mouse and or the control (X, C, and V) shortcuts. > It was great for navigating menus and decision trees.> > Anyone familiar with the consoles used by Operational Specialists on Naval > surface combatants will recall VABS and FABS (Variable Action Buttons and > Fixed Action Buttons) and the nice trackball circa 1988 +/- which easily > surpass the functionality and ease of use of a mouse and screen solution > such as the PSDR. There were a "jillion" different things that could be done > but not all choices were displayed all the time. Pressing a button in an > array of buttons could redefine part or all of the buttons in the array.> > Everyone brings their prejudices to the table. The early and dedicated Mac > fanatics hated to do anything not done by mouse. I suggested a word > processor dedicated to their favorite brain hemisphere where the screen was > divided into two parts. The upper zone would display the font to be used in > your document and the lower zone would show the actual document. A great Mac > interface... you just mouse up to the character you want in the top zone, > click and drag a copy down into your document one at a time and NEVER HAVE > TO TOUCH THE KEYBOARD!!!> > Loyalty to your supposed superior (read favorite) paradigm is > counterproductive. Don't be a stylized wrestler, boxer, or ( insert > favorite ridgid discipline martial art here) instead opt for Jeet kune do > (Bruce Lee's personally developed, and successfully employed, style)> > PSDR is a good piece of software. Nearly anything can be improved or at > least customized to a persons liking.> > Right now, as PSDR is, using a touch screen with it will not do much for > you. The buttons, sliders, etc are not programed to interact with a touch > screen and doing so is not a trivial task. The easiest way to incorporate > the touch screen would make your finger into a mouse. As an experienced > touch screen user I can tell you that your finger will not out mouse a mouse > and you will soon tire (literally) moving your finger around the screen, > especially a large screen.> > You might want to investigate an eye tracker as used by handicapped folks > and some advanced weapon targeting systems. Looking at a button or slider is > easier than holding your arm out to the screen.> > Patrick> > -----Original Message----- > From: manual...@juno.com> Sent: Friday, June 08, 2012 4:38 PM> To: FlexRadio@flex-radio.biz> Subject: Re: [Flexradio] =Touch-Screen_All-in-One_computer_for_Flex-3> > Actually, I still have one of the earliest commercialized touch screen> computers, the HP-150, which came out in 1983. It uses infrared emitters> and detectors surrounding the screen. Still use it for fun and giggles in> the shack for several DOS applications.> > Pete, wa2cwa> > > On Fri, 08 Jun 2012 13:06:36 -0700> "=?utf-8?B?Um9iZXJ0IENvc3RhLCBLQjZRWE0=?=" <kb6...@yahoo.com> writes:>> From what I am hearing is that touch screens are not mainstream as>> yet. Maybe with the release of Windows 8 in a few months.>> >> 73,>> Robert>> KB6QXM>> "Ham Radio Open Conversation">> Yahoo group owner/moderator>> > > _______________________________________________> 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/> > > -----> No virus found in this message.> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com> Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2433/5056 - Release Date: 06/08/12 > > > _______________________________________________> 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/
