Now that is a nice example. Unix is proprietary software, and Richard Stallman and a couple of friends started the GNU project to mimick everything the Unix environment did, but its all open source and everybody may use it as they see fit. In many cases the GNU programs outperform and outfunction the unix programs. (And yes, you can even use the GNU programs in a Unix environment by replacing the proprietary programs).
(Sounds familiar ? IcomG2 = prorpietary, it would be nice to have something opensource ?) By the time Linus Torvalds was studying computer science at the university, he needed some alternative for Unix, since they got unix at school, but he didn't have it at home to practice. Oh sure, there was something called Minix, which was a Unix emulator under DOS, but it was very limited. And then there was GNU. But GNU did not have a kernel. You could only use GNU if you had a Unix system, and then replace all the proprietary software by GNU software. So what did Linus do ? He wrote a kernel himself, for HIS hardware. It would not run on any other hardware then the specifics of his computer. He then put the GNU programs around them and voila.. A working OS. He called the kernel Linux, and put it on the internet. Other programmers came around and added code for THEIR hardware, eventually getting a bigger support base due to the modular design. From that point on, Linus has done not many much more then coordinating which code should come into the mainstream linux kernel. And you are also free to program code for hardware that it doesn't support yourself. So yes... A real Open Source D-Star Software Stack, that is coordinated by a few hams, so that multiple hams can program and send patches to this stack, or even if you want, just keep the changes for yourselves. Mind you that the GPL states that if you change anything on GPL software you have to redistribute it so others can profit from your changes. And don't get me started on Microsoft The only thing Bill and Paul every programmed theirselves was Basic on the Altair. And this was just a big box with lights and buttons that couldn't compete with apple's garagebuild pc. When IBM got into PC building for the regular man, they wanted to use Microsoft's Basic, but this didn't work out too well (you need an OS, duh). So they made a deal with Bill that Microsoft start writing an OS. So what did Bill do ? They went to Seattle and bought QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System), which was a CP/M clone, for 50000 dollars, rebranded it MSDOS and sold it to IBM for $1 per machine, who rebranded it IBMDOS. Apple in the meantime bought the GUI thing from Xerox, since the management of xerox saw no use for a GUI, and started developing this. In the meantime IBM wanted something simular so Microsoft wrote something simular called OS/2. OS/2 was a big flop since it needed 4MB of ram and all MSDOS pc's only had 1MB (you only needed 1MB!). Many employers found it cheaper to train their employee's in MSDOS then to invest in upgrading to 4MB rams. So microsoft was booted from IBM, and then took OS/2, slank it down to Windows, which could run on 1MB ram, and it became a big success since there was no hardware investment and could run on existing PCs. 73s Robbie On Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 5:47 AM, Woodrick, Ed <[email protected]> wrote: > > > You mean in an environment where every ham could do it better than every > other ham? > > > > Remember, Linux is a copy of Unix and then attempts to copy everything that > Windows does. > > > > *From:* [email protected] [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Robbie De Lise > *Sent:* Friday, February 26, 2010 6:36 PM > > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [DSTAR_DIGITAL] Home Rptr is MIA, What do I do??? > > > > > > Wouldn't it be nice if we could maintain the gateway software ourselves in > an opensource environment like many good projects are done (eg: linux :p) > > On Sat, Feb 27, 2010 at 12:13 AM, Evans F. Mitchell KD4EFM < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Gary, your calling it a flaw in D-Star. Remember, D-Star is a protocol... > > > > The FLAW is in Icom's production of the gateway software. Not D-Star. > > > > > >
