> . I can't think of one open source, community-based product that I'd want to > hang my hat on, even if I do see some that I'd support. I just don't see the > professional depth in the general community. >
I own a popular open-source based 3D printer. Finding the firmware to run the printer reliably is a challenge. Once found (or so I thought) then there’s the task of compiling and loading the firmware after customizing specifically for one of 4 different mother boards the vendor shipped with the same printer model, using vague and incomplete recommendations from the “community". Then there’s the matter of rounding up all the right libraries and versions used during the code ‘make’ when it fails. Oh and it may require re-flashing a boot loader as it is susceptible to corruption for reasons I cannot get a clear answer on. Once loaded to the printer, only then to discover it’s really worse than the version you hoped to repair, or dramatically changed in ways that demand relearning from the beginning. I would have gladly paid $$ extra for non-open firmware that was supported by the vendor and just worked!! I wanted to print - not test and debug code! There is real value in proprietary, closed source…. particularly if it reliably brings the features and functions I purchased and is well supported by a responsive vendor such as Elecraft. Kudos to the Elecraft Team! Steve aa8af ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
