Paul, There IS a solution to the scenario that you present... Keep a copy of
each and every firmware upgrade and decide which version that you
download... Upgrade your radio with the version that gives you the
'personality' that works best for you, and simply ignore the other versions.
I've got a Jupiter that does NOT have the latest and greatest version of the
firmware installed. I agree with your not wanting to turn on a 'different'
radio every few weeks... although, in the case of the Jupiter, the most
recent 'scuttlebutt' sounds like an upgrade that I'd be willing to try.
btw, the 'community' is made up of equipment users who are the best sources
of positive and negative feedback for the manufacturer. It's doubtful that
many of the 'firmware-derived' radios would have evolved as quickly as they
have, without the 'design-by-community' approach. There ARE a final
arbiters at TenTec, Elecraft, and other companies... and they are called
management... and only management can assess the value of each suggestion,
whether that suggestion originates within the company or it's clientele. No
manufacturer is in business for altruistic reasons... Altruism has it's
place in society, but NOT in the business of making MONEY...
vy 73, Larry - W1GOR
----- Original Message -----
From: <PaulKB8N@aol.com>
To: <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 12:52 PM
Subject: [TenTec] Information
I think there is a real danger in "design by community". There has to be
a
moderator and one final arbiter to decide if the proposed change to
hardware
or software meets the strategic intent of the design.
I think the K3 is evolving, but it is not yet a good contest radio, IMHO.
It is better for running than it is for S&P, again, IMHO. It is, however,
a
great DX radio. It remains to be seen how the final product will evolve.
All
I can say is, I don't want to load the new software every two weeks and
have
a different radio every time I turn it on.
The problem and the inherent design crisis that occurs with SDRs is that
there are a finite number of controls that can be infinitely programmed
and
reprogrammed. Adding a new feature may oftren impact another. For
example, who
decides if a feature for digital modes trumps CW or SSB features.
Everybody
wants something. And, of course, everybody wants their special feature
on
the top layer of the menu.
Then there's the issue of software revisions. For logging, I use a very
old
version of TRLog, simply because it has the features I need and is not
overloaded with features and selections that might confuse me. So it is
with
Orion I software, apparently. I've seen many posts from folks who
reloaded an
older version, because they didn't like the "improvements" in a newer
revision.
When you open the redesign and re-engineering of a radio to the user
community, you run the risk of making changes that may benefit a few but
satisfy
neither the larger community nor the greater design goals for the radio.
Sometimes allowing something for anybody ends up as nothing for
everybody.
Paul, K5AF
Orion II but I also have a K2/100 and a new K-3. The K-3 is still in the
shakedown mode. New features and modified features are being regularly
added with new firmware offered every two weeks or so. Many of the list
suggestions have found their way into firmware mods in very short order.
Frankly, I have yet to encounter a situation where Elecraft has stated
that
a new feature or improvement is "on the list" and has not ultimately been
incorporated. Obviously, some features must be higher on the priority
list
than others because they may significantly impact operation of the radio
and
need to be corrected first. I have also noted incidents where a
suggested
feature has been rejected because it was impractical. I hate to be
critical
but I think your reply implied that Elecraft was being disingenuous. I
really don't believe that's the case.
By the way, is any firmware update for the Orion II in sight? I think
the
noise reduction still needs some work.
Bruce-W8FU
yqj: Referring to Elecraft here as being smart, they
will state in public that your idea has value - "it's
on the list", whether or not it's an actual priority.
I'm not sure I understand how that would have benefited Ten-Tec if we had
done the same thing. You're saying that
acknowledging a request publicly and then not acting on it because it's
not
a priority is smart customer service?
When we've done that in the past vis a vis the Orion and other radios
we've
later regretted it.
73
Scott Robbins
W4PA
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