[App_rpt-users] Raspberry pi status -- a developer's view

Fri Feb 6 16:38:01 UTC 2015

Hi Everyone,

It never fails to amaze me how these discussions get heated!

As one of the developers working on the BBB and other releases, I'll be
the first to say that we're ALWAYS looking forward to the next latest and
greatest platform to use! BUT, IT HAS GOT TO WORK AS WELL AS A PC! Nasty,
clicky, popping audio is NOT acceptable; not to me at least. So, I
wouldn't hint that a -marginal- platform is acceptable. As I imply, I'm
pretty fanatical about audio quality and reliability; as comparable to the
typical PC platform.

Mailing lists can be dangerous places. Prospective users may see a quick 
blurb about a possible platform, smile, and dive in. Lets all try to be 
good stewards about what AllStar platforms are realistically working.

So far, I've evaluated many inexpensive (less than $50) ARM-based boards.  
Of all I've used so far, only the BBB (with SimpleUSB) provides excellent
performance.  Yes, the Odroid-C1 is pretty neat and has a very fast
CPU--I've got 3 of them sitting right in front of me. I've also already
got a customized Arch-based distro for them. But, NOPE, they are not yet
ready for the prime-time--not with the latest Arch Linux, at least! USB
with URI's is pretty broken at this point!!! But, hopefully that will
change.

Anyhow, where I'm going with this is that AllStar certainly needs
enthusiastic developers! But, we developers must remember that we have a
responsibility to make sure less experienced users don't fall into a
disappointing situation where they waste a few weeks of time only to end 
up with an unacceptable result.

Just my $0.02.

73, David KB4FXC

On Fri, 6 Feb 2015, Mike Zingman wrote:

> Just to stick my 2 cents in.  This hobby is for all types.  Appliance
> operators and experimenters.  Both have their places.  I prefer to
> experiment and learn.  I can best accomplish that by doing it myself.
> Others have different priorities and I respect that, but do not choose to
> follow that path.
> I have taken my knowledge and used it recently to port and set up a new
> node with the odroid c1 (BTW it kicks the BBBs butt!).  I did not have to
> wait for someone else to make an image.  I struggled with things and I am
> now smarter than I was yesterday.  Yea, good for me.  It is my choice to
> spend my time this way, you can spend your as you see fit.
> Today I get my RPI P2.  Want to guess what this weekends project may be?
> 
> Always having fun
> Mike N4IRR
> 
> 
> On Fri, Feb 6, 2015 at 10:43 AM, Steve Zingman <szingman at msgstor.com> wrote:
> 
> > There seems to be a case of false equivalency developing here.
> > A large number of us do not want or need a image with a few scripts to
> > hold our hand
> > to use AllStar. We want the source code, we want the configuration files
> > and that's it.
> >
> > If all AllStar Asterisk was is a image I download and install, I would not
> > be using it.
> > And for that matter, what is the SVN but a roll out of some files and have
> > a nice day.
> >
> > It seems that if you are not interested in running the images provided you
> > are somehow disrespecting
> > the people that create and support them. At least for me, nothing could be
> > further from the truth.
> > I have not put down Acid, Limey, Pickle or BBB. They all have their place.
> > Just not what I want or need to do.
> > I roll my own, that's why I got involved with helping Jim. I contribute
> > support, patches and money to this project.
> >
> > On the other hand, People that prefer a particular image seem to think if
> > you don't want to run the same image you do
> > you are doing something wrong. It's a little more then just rolling out a
> > few files. It about setting up a environment to compile and install the
> > version of Asterisk and app_rpt we want to run.
> >
> > I don't care if someone has done extensive testing of the RPI and deemed
> > it inferior. Someone might consider the fact that there are a lot of people
> > that want to try it and maybe after they cut their teeth on a RPI they move
> > on to something better. And horror of horrors, it's not someones image. The
> > same concepts used in the collection of files I made available will help
> > someone install AllStar Asterisk on just about any Debian platform.
> >
> > 73, Steve N4IRS
> >
> > On 2/6/2015 10:04 AM, app_rpt-users-request at ohnosec.org wrote:
> >
> >> Message: 3
> >> Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2015 07:04:25 -0800
> >> From: Bill South <wbs099 at yahoo.com>
> >> To: app_rpt-users at ohnosec.org, Robert Newberry <N1XBM at amsat.org>
> >> Subject: Re: [App_rpt-users] Raspberry pi status
> >> Message-ID:
> >>         <1423235065.26597.YahooMailBasic at web160801.mail.bf1.yahoo.com>
> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
> >>
> >> It's one thing to do a proof-of-concept and roll out some files and then
> >> say "have a nice day but no support is provided".  All too often I see that
> >> in the technology and experimentation world, which may be fine for some,
> >> but less than ideal for other, less technical folks.  Doug has gone way
> >> beyond that point by not only doing the proof-of-concept but also providing
> >> a number of scripts to make the install smooth on the BBB (my BBB install
> >> was SO much easier than my first ACID install).  Beyond that Doug has set
> >> up a very detailed web site to answer just about any question one might
> >> have about setting up Allstar on a BBB.  But above even that effort Doug
> >> has explained many of the various configuration facets of Allstar that
> >> previously had been something of a mystery.  He not only explained some
> >> things in his BBB web page that were simply not all the clear before
> >> related to general Allstar setup, but when asked (and I for one did ask
> >> several questions of
> >>   him) he responded to those questions with clear, concise responses.
> >> Aside from the BBB-specific documentation itself, his web site is an
> >> excellent learning experience related to Allstar configuration overall.
> >>
> >> Experimentation is certainly a cornerstone of ham radio and all those who
> >> have put forth these various solutions on different platforms are to be
> >> commended for the efforts, as some of us don't have the expertise or time
> >> to do that ourselves but still wish to be involved in this new technology.
> >> It just seems to me that Doug went the extra mile to put together the BBB
> >> setup (after more than a little testing on the RPI platform first) then
> >> provide significant and detailed documentation to help all of us.  Thanks
> >> Doug for your extra efforts in this regard.
> >>
> >>
> >> --------------------------------------------
> >> On Thu, 2/5/15, Robert Newberry <N1XBM at amsat.org> wrote:
> >>
> >>   Subject: Re: [App_rpt-users] Raspberry pi status
> >>   To: app_rpt-users at ohnosec.org
> >>   Date: Thursday, February 5, 2015, 8:39 AM
> >>     I'm not
> >>   sure why some has to get ridiculous with the German goose
> >>   step references.
> >>   I personally appreciate all of the work Doug
> >>   and I'm sure others have put into the BBB. It's
> >>   cheap and you can have a basic node and even a few more
> >>   advanced features on the air in less than an hour for cheap
> >>   money.
> >>   My BBB has been rock solid and Doug and others
> >>   on this list have provided support that has gone above and
> >>   beyond anything I expected!
> >>   With that said if someone wants to experiment
> >>   that's great and I like to do the same things. I've
> >>   been on this list for a while and I kept hearing about the
> >>   BBB and never considered it until recently. I can tell a lot
> >>   of work went into that.? There are some advanced features
> >>   that have been scripted so all you have to do is follow the
> >>   prompts. An example would be using a powered USB hub and
> >>   making a image onto another USB flash drive while your
> >>   system is live.? This is great since my system is at a
> >>   remote site. So I can make a complete image remotely so if I
> >>   loose a micro sd card. I can insert a new one and restore my
> >>   card again.
> >>   It would be great to see advances using the RPi
> >>   since that is what ham radio is about.
> >>   Bob / N1XBM
> >>   -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
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> >> ------------------------------
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >>
> >> End of App_rpt-users Digest, Vol 72, Issue 16
> >> *********************************************
> >>
> >
> > --
> > "Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about."
> > 1st Law of Logic
> >
> >
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