> Industrial devices are still, and remain, invested in RS232. Maybe > there's a reason?
This is a very surprising statement. The only RS232 interfaces I see lingering around are from the ham radio community. So, do you mean the ham radio "industry"? And, I know that I have lived in the Apple Mac world for a long time but I am finding it hard to understand why USB requires custom device drivers on Windows. I know that I do not need that on my Mac computer. The only time I have ever needed to install a custom driver for USB is because of the ham radio RS232 interface needs. On May 21, 2010, at 6:57 AM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: > As we move forward with OS versions, Don touches on a difference, that > RS232 does not need a driver. Let it also be understood, that > Microsoft does NOT, repeat, DOES NOT supply USB device drivers, BY > DESIGN. A virtual RS232 port that appears in the hardware listing and > surfaces in a real RS232 on the other side of some converter is a USER > device. This was a flexibility wanted by the industry to sell new > gadgets, code stuff when the they (not Microsoft) wanted to, and not > have to bother with waiting for Microsoft to integrate it. > > As a courtesy Microsoft distributes "certified" drivers via their > updates. But MS does not support them. > > The responsibility for keeping USB device drivers functioning in spite > of operating system changes, resides with the programmers of user > software and USB devices. Whether one agrees with that division is up > for debate, but whether that's the way it is now, for good or bad, is > a fact. What is also apparent, is that the makers and programmers of > such devices are all for the new sales, but not so interested in > maintenance once the big bux have been raked in. Are you surprised? > > Once a USB port device is implanted in a K3, Elecraft becomes slave to > all the OS issues, many still unresolved, especially with W7 64 bit, > and will be responsible for keeping up with all the OS changes > affecting USB to RS232. The popular ham programs are still expecting > RS232, whether real or virtual. My question is why on earth would > anyone want to stick their foot into that bear trap, and then spend > the next decade dragging that chain around. > > USB is law of the jungle, with order just barely being maintained. > Drivers will get tested for the big bux, high volume stuff, and > ignored for everything else, unless there is someone like Microham, > who depends on them, who will bite, bitch, annoy, bash and > continuously robo-call a chip maker until they come up with a fix for > something in a driver that's screwing them to the wall. > > That's really a swamp. You sure you really want to go with devices > embedded in the K3? At least USB/RS232 converter cords have larger > separate audiences, whose larger volume will get some testing. AND if > they finally refuse to upgrade, you can toss it and go get someone > else's version and try again. How do you do that if the device is > embedded in the K3? Just gonna trust that there's still a programmer > assigned long term in some chip company to deal with keeping up with > the OS, trust that they're gonna stay in business. Wanna pay for the > keep up with Microsoft cost embedded in anything you buy from > Elecraft? > > Industrial devices are still, and remain, invested in RS232. Maybe > there's a reason? > > Careful what you wish for. > > 73, Guy > > On Fri, May 21, 2010 at 9:09 AM, Don Wilhelm <[email protected]> wrote: >> Those making a mod of that nature to a K2 (or any other radio) take on a >> new responsibility. >> >> If anyone makes such a change and subsequently sells their K3, I would >> hope that the sale would include a CD with the latest drivers for any OS >> that could possibly be used with the K3. >> Plain RS-232 does not need drivers - USB does, and those drivers are OS >> dependent and OS level dependent. >> When you are working out in the field with your laptop and your USB K3, >> internet access to download new drivers may not be available. >> >> 73, >> Don W3FPR >> >> Allan G Duncan wrote: >>> I don't wish to re-ignite the RS232 vs USB connectivity debates which have >>> regularly appeared on the reflector >>> but some K3 owners may be interested in this product recently launched by >>> FTDI. >>> >>> http://www.ftdichip.com/Documents/DataSheets/Modules/DS_DB9-USB-RS232.pdf >>> >>> >>> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> 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 >> > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 ______________________________________________________________ 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
