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VK3API > PACKET 13.05.08 02:58l 89 Lines 4182 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : D90483VK3API
Read: GUEST
Subj: Re:Time to switch it all off?
Path: IZ3LSV<IQ0LT<IK2XDE<DB0RES<ON0BEL<VK4TRS<VK3API
Sent: 080513/0146Z @:VK3API.#MEL.VIC.AUS.OC #:13619 [Lilydale] FBB7.00g
From: VK3API@VK3API.#MEL.VIC.AUS.OC
To : PACKET@WW
Hi Ray and others,
Thanks Ray for those comments re Linux. I recently bought a laptop with
Linux on it as the operating system and after a couple of weeks I
formatted the hard drive and went back to Windows, not because I had
anything against Linux but simply because it wouldn't work with anything
else I have here.
Thanks for the link to the software site I will look at that in the near
future.
With regards to packet bulletins and programming code etc, I noticed a
similar whinge to mine by a reader of Silicon Chip, an Australian
electronics magazine. He was on about the lack of source code listings for
the various PIC and PICAXE projects that were featured. I couldn't agree
more.
I started my life in micros with the Motorola MC6800 and it's
successors. I had done all the courses on the 6800 but probably learnt
more from looking at other peoples source code than I ever learnt in a
course. I can remember many an occasion where I was reading through some
one else's code in a magazine article (usually assembler code in those
days) and thought, "damn, why didn't I think of that neat way of doing it"
what ever "it" was.
The same applied to some of the early packet bulls. I learnt a lot from
the series of bulls on the inner quirks of win 98, 2000, and other
systems.
I have the "all you ever need to know about" tech books on most of the
operating systems but they never seem to tell me the things I need to
know, things like how do I get past that annoying log in screen in w98 so
my packet BBS will reboot after a power outage without sitting there
waiting for me to hit enter. A lot of this type of information was sent
out as packet bulletins.
I suspect Ray that your surmise that APRS will decrease in popularity
may be already happening. I noticed that the APRS mail list was deluged
with spite when the saga of the "F" call on APRs was raised. It sounded
quite like packet for a day or two.
One of the disappointments of packet is the outright aggression
displayed towards people who would like to jazz up the system a bit by
sending HTML or any other enhancement. Surely this is cutting of your nose
to spite your face. In one breath they are bemoaning the lack of users
and in the next locking out users who are trying to generate interest with
newer modes of operation.
To me a big advantage of packet is that I only need to read the messages
every other day or so and I haven't missed that much. I have a life
outside of packet and the internet and just don't have the time to sit
hunched over a keyboard fingers poised waiting to reply to the next
incoming message in better than real time.
With regards to my comments about tech stuff being on the internet,
>Comments have been made that a lot of the tech stuff is now on internet
>lists and mail groups, well perhaps some kind member of some of those
>lists might reproduce the ham content on packet.
I would like to add the extra comment that even in this day and age there
are a lot of people still not on the internet and reproducing those tech
articles on packet will help them as well as other people like myself who
are not aware of all the various mailing lists.
I still have, saved on this very packet computer, some tech articles
sent out in 7+ years ago on the topic of various types of antennas. The
articles were very usefull and have been printed out for use by my local
radio club members. They were a combination of JPEG and GIF files and this
made them easy to read and print.
Actually, as an aside, my BBS has a filed copy of every 7+ bulletin that
has gone past over the years. I actually do this by automatically
downloading them to Winpack and them manually shifting them across to the
BBS periodically. I think there was an FBB add in that would do this on
the BBS direct at some stage. Any info would be welcome.
I am getting right off topic as usual so will call it quits for now.
Regards Tony VK3API
73 - Tony, VK3API @ VK3FBD.#MEL.VIC.AUS.OC
Message timed: 11:25 on 2008-May-13
This message originated in Lilydale Melbourne Victoria Australia
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