[Elecraft] Elecraft Digest, Vol 124, Issue 11

[Andrew White]

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>
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> Message: 5
> Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 11:25:15 -0400
> From: "Chester Alderman" <aldermant at windstream.net>
> To: "'Elecraft Reflector'" <Elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] P3SVGA
> Message-ID: <003601cfb89d$1dbd1160$59373420$@windstream.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"
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> To me that is just a silly expectation for ANY ham radio manufacturer to
> consider. Can you just imagine what a quagmire Elecraft would generate if
> they open-sourced their firmware?


With enough eye balls looking at the code all bugs are shallow. I think
Elecraft could benefit from an extra 100 pair of eyes looking at the
problems at no cost contributing an average of 100 hours a week at it.
Could you imagine what kind of quagmire that could result in? A better
product no less!


> They would have to stop producing
> profitable products just to spend time trying to pull software 'expurts'
> out
> of the trouble they themselves generated.
>

 Breaking things is a necessary part of the process.


> And once the 'community' turned the firmware into total trash, then you
> would expect Elecraft to bail you out????
>
>
You don't seem to understand what this entails. Elecraft would still
control software updates including open source contributions. The Internet
is built on open source protocols and software and ham radio manufacturers
would be wise to follow suit. This is a low risk, high gain move with
nearly zero switching cost.