On October 5, 2018 12:46:26 AM EDT, Tony <w7efs@...> wrote:
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
Not entirely true. When I first started talking to KN6KB about some things that ended up becoming part of ARDOP, he mentioned that he had been working with someone at one point that had been working on a port of WinMOR to Linux. After some discussions, the guy just vanished and was never heard from again. The WDT wants folks to commit to a long term development cycle and keep in regular contact so that the open source stuff stays in sync with the Windows side of things.
Matthew Pitts N8OHU -- Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.