Hi Robert,
Rather than get into some sort of war over what is really happening with
XCSoar, I'll just highlight some facts.
1. Scott Penrose has recently undertaken to port XCSoar 6 to Altair. The
hold up for him is getting an ALTAIR Pro. I have offered him my own Altair,
but we are trying to get a used PRO from Triadis for the software testing.
2. All required source code for the Triadis version of XCSoar, that supports
the Altair Logger is available to anyone who chooses to pick it up and run
with it. Are you volunteering? If so, the link is here.
he code is released.
http://triadis.triadis.biz/downloads/altair/update/XcSoarSource/ Please
feel free to use this source code.
3. Triadis re-wrote XCSoar in their own fork of the software, as they got
tired of fielding user enquiries about software over which they had no real
control. The software they have released, is fully supported by them.
Install this and they will be happy to talk to you. They are the only
manufacturer that I know that has built hardware specifically for an
open-source application. I am pretty sure that XCSoar users do not call HP,
Dell, Mio or suchlike when their PDA doesn't work as expected with XCSoar?
4. Another reason for writing this software was to provide support for
ALTAIR Pro owners, as the XC Soar community had not yet "caught up" to the
new logger hardware.
5. This software has not been well received by Aussie pilots as they like
our Johnny W home grown version. Triadis cut a lot of stuff out of XCSoar
that they considered unneccessary..........99% of European Altair users, use
the "Triadis"version.
6. With point 5 in mind, Triadis made an "ünsupported" version of the OPen
Source code that included support for the Altair RU Logger task
declarations. There are better pilots than you and I using this.
7.In fact I do not think XCSoar even supports task declaration to Flarm IGC
loggers even though this comms protocol has been available since Flarm IGC
loggers appeared. Don't get me wrong, I will be the last one to blame unpaid
programmers for something they haven't done yet.
8. I have been through the long thread of emails you sent me via our support
page. I made it clear that the software is entirely the responsibility of
the Open Source community. You disagreed, as you would. Do you expect Swift
Avionics to write this code?
9. We do all we can to support Altair users, for little or no return.
Clearly , by your email you partly blame Swift Avionics for your issue with
the unavailability of XCSoar 6 for your Altair. Clearly this is as much our
responsibility as it would be for HP to ensure future versions of XCSoar ran
on their devices. Having said that, it is not in the interest of Triadis NOT
to see XCSoar 6 running on Altair. I think the big point you are missing is
that their are only about 150 Altair devices in use IN THE WORLD. Jumping
up and down because a hardware manufacturer is not pouring infinite personal
time and money into an OPEN SOURCE problem is not the way to get a positive
result.
10. Triadis are in fact putting resources into this as they are available.
This I know. It has been slow, but what do you expect for FREE???
I won't be responding to any more rhetoric on this subject. We are happy to
sell an Altair and support the hardware to anyone who wants one, in fact, I
field a lot of calls personally from competition pilots having last minute
software problems that inevitably I record as PEBCAK. "Problem Exists
Between Chair and Keyboard"
Have fun and enjoy your flying. If Open Source issues are a problem to you,
I suggest you consider one of the other excellent products on the market.
Best regards
Mark
On Sun, Oct 17, 2010 at 2:46 PM, Robert Hart <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi Folks
>
> Version 6 or XCSoar is now in testing and a release of the new version
> should be occurring soon - but if you have an Altair in your glider you will
> be stuck with version 5.2 as no-one is supporting this platform - not even
> the manufacturer.
>
> I am seriously underwhelmed with the support I am receiving from Triadis
> and its local reseller Swift Avionics here in Australia. There has been no
> update to XCSoar on the Altair platform now for ages and nothing is being
> done to ensure the Altair hardware is supported in the XCSoar development
> tree.
>
> I have written to Triadis and to Swift and received no answer to the
> question about updated versions of XCSoar for the Altair. I have also
> written to Johnny Wharrington (who I believe first ported XCSoar to the
> Altair) - but have received no reply.
>
> I spent - like many of you - several thousand dollars on this hardware (I
> purchased the Altair/Vega combo) and am now beginning to bitterly regret
> this decision as it appears that both the manufacturer and and the
> Australian reseller have abandoned this hardware and its users.
>
> All Triadis need to do is to write the parts of the software that supports
> its hardware. The XCSoar community do everything else (it is open source
> software), but it appears they are not even prepared to do this (or pay
> someone to do it.
>
> Now - if I am wrong about this (I don't think I am) please point me at the
> info that shows Altair is being supported in the latest version of XCSoar.
>
> Alternatively, if you are using the Altair hardware I strongly urge you to
> write to Triadis and Swift Avionics expressing your concern and asking them
> to provide a definitive answer as to WHEN they are going to update XCSoar
> for the Altair.
>
> --
> Robert Hart [email protected]
> +61 (0)438 385 533 http://www.hart.wattle.id.au
>
> _______________________________________________
> Aus-soaring mailing list
> [email protected]
> To check or change subscription details, visit:
> http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
>
--
Mark Fisher
Managing Director
Swift Performance Equipment
PO Box 726, Lismore, NSW
Australia
Ph: +61 2 66221666
Fax: +61 2 66221633
www.spe.com.au
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