Your point is precisely why I'm in favo[u]r of open-source software, and I've been rebuffed in the winlink groups several times in the last 'arf-decade for strongly suggesting it wrt WE formerly RE.

There are a very great many bright people who can improve open-source code and are willing to do so. The WDT (winlink development team) continually complain that they are just volunteers (what ham isn't?) and can't release their M$ code.

On 10/04/2018 09:26 PM, Richard - VE7CVS wrote:

This is the typical issue that you run into - "Oh, we found something that works for 80% of the users (i.e., Windows), everyone else will have to use this too because it's too difficult for us to try and support the 'marginal' OSes like Mac and Linux".

Really, the only way that you can counter this is with software that supports all of the platforms. And, realise that those 80% base Windows users are mostly not tech-savvy, so saying "Oh, just install Cygwin and use this package" is not going to fly. You have to provide a Windows app and full support for that 80%.

I'm not trying to be snide - just realistic. Many apps exist for Windows that are fully supported in Windows, but have no support for other OSes. It's really hard to suggest alternatives that work for those Windows users who need more detailed tech support than a typical Linux user.

Remember this hobby has a large range of people who have very differing levels of tech expertise. :-)

(I taught ham radio to a group of people who ranged from those who had less than full high school level math to a BSC in Physics - "tune to your audience" - that was a *very* wide band transmission! ;-) - Oh, and very enlightening!

- Richard



On 10/04/2018 07:59 PM, Randy Neals wrote:

Hi George,

That is generally true that the original forms, in their paper or PDF distributions are government created.
Form handling within Winlink - the ability to send the data, but not the form itself is only supported in Winlink express and as Basil noted, not documented.

-Randy