On Apr 8, 2016, at 4:24 PM, Jessie Oberreuter <[email protected]>
wrote:
W5QD et. al.,
Ken is referring to the following message, which essentially requests a
simple command-line firmware loader program. Note that this is NOT a request
for DNA level access to the radio's internals.
The communication protocols for most of the Elecraft radio functions are
described in the public documentation, enabling people to write their own code
for most functions. The firmware loading protocols, however, are not. The only
way to update the firmware (not generate our own!) is to download and run
platform specific GUI applications from Elecraft. For most users running
Windows or MacOS, this is fine: virtually all of these users expect GUI
software, have their computers directly connected to their radios, and aren't
aren't running on unusual computer hardware.
For those of us running Linux (or even more obscure operating systems), a
GUI application that only works on x86 machines that are directly connected to
the radio is awkward. My laptop and all of my shack machines are ARM based, so
when I need to upgrade my K3, I need to extract it from all of its cables and
haul it over to my x86 work machine. My work machine is running 64bit linux,
while the Elecraft tool is 32bit, so I also need to install 32bit versions of
several libraries to run it. Similarly, all of my radio gear at home is
actually hooked to a serial-to-ethernet device, which is great for all of the
software I use, but not fine for K3Util, which expects to talk specifically to
a directly connected hardware serial port.
There are several approaches to solving this problem. The first is to ask
Elecraft to provide more versions of their software: can I get an x86_64 build?
ARM7 please! Actually, I use my Android for everything ... can I get an
Android app? Fortunately, we recognize that Elecraft is a /radio/ company,
/not/ a consumer software company, and we don't want to ask them to spend time
supporting dozens of firmware loaders. Ideally, we would like to see or, with
access to the protocol documentation, develop an open-source library for
updating the firmware. Then we can build our own firmware loaders for whatever
platforms we choose.
Recognizing that this may be asking for proprietary and/or licensed information,
Bruce has suggested a middle ground -- offer a simple "glue" interface (a
command line firmware loading tool) that would be much simpler for Elecraft to build for
lots of different platforms and would be more in line with the linux philosophy of
starting with light weight command line tools, and adding far more difficult to develop
and maintain GUIs on top as desired.
Perhaps a simpler option would be to offer a library or command line tool
in a portable format that still obscures the proprietary protocol
implementation. Java is a good candidate for this, as there are Java VMs for
practically every platform out there.
-kb7psg
Date: Sun, 27 Mar 2016 17:52:34
From: Bruce Nourish <[email protected]>
To: Elecraft Reflector <[email protected]>
Subject: [Elecraft] Feature request: Command line firmware updater
Hi folks,
As the subject suggests, I'd like to put in a feature request, for a simple,
command line firmware updater tool, for all applicable Elecraft rigs. To update
the firmware on my KX3 and PX3, I need to download and set up two separate
programs, most of whose functionality I won't ever need.
Such a tool would be easy for Elecraft to write and maintain, and would be easy
to make work on different platforms, which brings me to the next part of this
feature request. I'd like to be able to run this tool both on my Intel Linux
machines, and my Raspberry Pi, which is hooked up to my KX3 and PX3 whenever my
KX3 is home. Cross-compiling such a simple tool should also be pretty easy.
I'm sure there are other people who're in similar situations, and would
appreciate something to address these use cases. Firmware updates are one of
the few things where you can't roll-your-own.
Thanks.
Bruce
On Fri, 8 Apr 2016, Ken G Kopp wrote:
Wayne and Eric:
PLEASE don't cave in to the requests of those on the reflectors who are asking you to
disclose the "genetic makeup" of their radios by publishing the software that
would enable anyone to modify how a given radio operates.
I see this as no different than a breeder of a thoroughbred breed of dog opening the pen
and letting all comers mate with the females. You would end up with a
"contaminated" breed.
I envision an increased workload at Elecraft in dealing with the customers who manage to "mess
up" their radio's "brains" and want help in restoring them to the original state.
Nothing but non-profit overhead.
I would be wary ... read "never" ... of buying a used Elecraft product for fear
that it's genetic makeup had been altered and really wasn't an Elecraft anymore.
Perhaps I'm not understanding something ...
73!
Ken Kopp - K0PP
Full K-line, KX3, PX3, KXPA100, K2/100, W2's, etc.
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