Touchscreens versus physical buttons and knobs aren¹t the only choices. Avionics manufacturers long ago went to so-called soft keys - physical buttons, and knobs, whose functions change with the screen context and which are labelled on the adjacent edge of each screen. The versatility is remarkable, and the screen never gets greasy from the pilot¹s lunch - just the buttons do. I haven¹t flown for a few years, since losing my medical; but that¹s how the early glass cockpits looked in my last panel. It wouldn¹t be a novel idea in radios, including Elecraft ‹ the P3, for example, has a simple version in its row of programmable keys. As to upgradability, a change in F/W that assigns a new function to a knob or key would come with a matching F/W -based change to the legend on the adjacent part of the affected screen. Simple. No stick-on labels required - just a well-designed non-touch-sensitive LCD screen.
I do agree with the point about ops with impaired vision. Soft keys might have an advantage over touchscreens there as well, though it may be that proximity-triggered annunciators would be superior to both. Ted, KN1CBR > >------------------------------ > >Message: 6 >Date: Sun, 5 Jun 2016 15:27:31 -0400 >From: Buddy Brannan <[email protected]> >To: "Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT" <[email protected]>, Elecraft > Reflector Reflector <[email protected]> >Subject: Re: [Elecraft] New products >Message-ID: <[email protected]> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > >Lighten up, you say? I don't know...I sort of like having radios I can >actually use. Unless said touch screen will also come with some sort of >spoken interface, (they haven't, so far), I guess eventually I get to >look for a new hobby if that's where we're all going. And really, with >the aging ham population and the sight loss that sometimes comes with >said aging population, guess a lot of those guys are gonna be screwed, >too. Sounds like a great idea to me. > >-- >Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA >Phone: 814-860-3194 >Mobile: 814-431-0962 >Email: [email protected] > > > > >> On Jun 5, 2016, at 3:16 PM, Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT >><[email protected]> wrote: >> >> A radio with only physical knobs and buttons severely limits future >>upgradability, and leads to crazy button combinations to turn things on >>and off that weren't even a dream when the radio was originally released. >> >> Touch screens may not be always convenient, but they're much more >>flexible than a silk-screened metal panel. >> >> I realize that knobs and buttons are a religion for some, but it's >>really time to lighten up, folks. >> >> Either that or for Elecraft to release a rig with a whole bunch of >>"empty" buttons and sell stickers to update the front panel when the >>firmware grows to need them. >> >> ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
