On Thu, 30 Oct 2003 02:48:54 GMT, "Glen Wiley Wilson"
wrote:


This type of device should work well. An issue I have with this
approach is that the device requires drivers. I hate installing
drivers. They either work or they don't, and if something breaks,
you're never quite sure what it was. You have to make sure to keep up
with them just in case you find yourself rebuilding a crashed
harddrive or Windows falls on its sword or something. Plus, you never
know when the latest Windows service pack is going to break the
driver. It happens more often than one might think. Also, since I
have an obvious bias toward programmability, this approach is a little
hard-wired for my taste.

As these computers would not be used for online internet, except maybe
at the dock to get the weather report before leaving, you don't need
the service packs. The solution to the Windows problem is Win98SE,
which has matured very nicely compliments of business and industry who
like its more stable platform. Many of XPs maladies, of course,
simply don't exist in W98SE because it's not NT-based or NT-complex.
Having no need to share files, printers, and databases, there's no
need to run an NT-based O/S, with its inherent problems that have
never been resolved. Win98SE runs for months without being rebooted,
even though it is heavily used on my network, here. It has many
drivers that will not run under XP, a re-designed system hell bent on
everyone buying new buggy software from the original vendors. Screw
all that. 98SE runs good ol' Windoze programs from anywhere.

My approach is to use the existing tcp/ip stack. I take all the data
I get from serial ports and virtual serial ports and do a UDP
broadcast. This automatically goes to anybody on the subnet that
wants to listen on the right port. So you can add any listener
anytime you want by the expedient of plugging in a cat5 or a wireless
card. Any PC running anywhere on the subnet with my program on it can
receive the data, add it to whatever is coming in over the local
serial ports, display, it, log it, and ship it out over a serial port
or virtual port to any device or program not-network-aware. But I do
still need some NMEA wiring to get the data to the computer. Note
that my license covers as many copies as you want to run on one boat.
I probably need to change that if that cruise ship contract comes
in...

I've actually been doing a little work on this feature this week.
This version is not on the site yet, but I've added the capability to
talk to a specific address instead of broadcasting. This let's you
get off the subnet if you want to. Theoretically, you could even ship
your data over the internet to your home PC. I've added it because a
couple of prospects think they can use it for remote tracking. There
are some more improvements too, but they are fairly subtle.

Very nice.

It's not "boat programs" so it's GPL freeware....(c;

Hey, I represent that stattement!

Wanna bet you'll make more money off it at $29?......simply blowing
away the greedy competitors......

I know someone who wrote a shareware program and posted it to
tucows.com and the other shareware vendors. His income tripled when
he dropped the price below $30.....

The boaters with unlimited funds don't buy shareware, they hire
consultants who make commissions off vast software prices.
Consultants never recommend shareware they are not going to get paid
extra from. Boaters with small incomes will use shareware but sneeze
around $30 and won't send in the money unless you put in a 30-day
timer to force them. They'll think, "Other shareware is $30. Why is
this guy charging so much, just because it's a boat program?" They'll
send PayPal $30 for it and feel great. Think about it. Your program
isn't going to be on the bridge of that 160' Italian custom yacht.....


_________________________________________________ ___________
Glen "Wiley" Wilson usenet1 SPAMNIX at worldwidewiley dot com
To reply, lose the capitals and do the obvious.

Take a look at cpRepeater, my NMEA data integrator, repeater, and
logger at http://www.worldwidewiley.com/


Larry W4CSC

"Very funny, Scotty! Now, BEAM ME MY CLOTHES! KIRK OUT!"