[aprssig] Xastir install issues

[Curt Mills]

On Tue, 29 Nov 2005, Bill Diaz wrote:

> You are saying there is a single executable that will install CygWin, Xastir
> and supporting files?  I kinda doubt it.

Where'd that come from?  Instructions have been given as to how to
install it, by several of us.  In fact there are several methods to
accomplish that end.  Pick one.  If one can't manage to get it
installed via one of these methods, subscribe to the SIG.  Haven't
we been over this ground?  This is getting to be one of those once
or twice a year thread repeats on the SIG that the old-timers get
tired of quickly.

I personally wrote the README.win32 document, which was the first
writeup of any kind on how to do it.  I started it due to some
rumors that a couple of people had managed to get Xastir running
under Cygwin.  Actually I might have started from a mini-writeup
that someone else did, can't recall now.  My method involves a bunch
of steps and compiling from source, but as stated there are other
ways to do it.  Perhaps you might appreciate the amount of time it
took for me to document it, considering my distaste for that
particular OS (most people should get a smirk on their face about
now thinking about the pain I was in at the time).  I found it to be
a bit of a challenge, so took it on.  I didn't enjoy it though.
Since then I've been playing around with more respectable OS'es and
having a lot more fun.

Tell you what Bill, if you don't like how it's done, contribute to
the project and get it changed.  We're all volunteer.  I often am
the voice of the project just because I tend to keep track of a
bunch of the lists and can't keep my typing fingers from moving, but
I'm not even the top honcho on the project (I'm not the admin).  I'm
just one of several developers (currently 14) and contributors (too
many to count).  We all volunteer our time as we see fit and are not
paid for the priviledge.  It's fun for us.  The reason it's fun for
us is that we don't let other people control what we do, and we code
in whatever direction our whims take us.

Not being under the thumbs of the people doleing out the money has
its advantages!


> I don't appreciate your atitude either, so that makes us even<g>  This
> thread is not so much about operating systems as it is the extreme
> difficulty many users have installing XAstir.  Your response is to go to a
> web site or subscribe to a mailing list whenever this subject comes up.  You
> refuse to publicly acknowledge that installing XAstir can be a long involved
> process that can be daunting for a non-technical user, however.

I suggest ways that people can be helped.  If you don't like the
help options available, you're free to choose other APRS clients to
run.  There are certainly people out there that we can't help.
There are others that we can.


> Why do you refuse to respond on the SIG to valid user complaints and
> concerns?  Most people don't run Xastir because of the difficulty installing
> it, yet you hype it as the best thing since sliced bread.

You've got some chip on your shoulder there Bill.  I happen to like
Xastir.  So what?   I like Linux too.  Want to trash that?  Hey, I'm
really big into Diet Pepsi, Honda dirt bikes, and Jeeps.  Oh yea,
Mathews Solo-cam bows too.  There are lots of targets out there.
Why make me one of them?

Xastir is not tied to Linux BTW.  If you don't like Linux, try
FreeBSD, HP/UX, Solaris, or a Mac (running OSX).  Any of those
appeal to you?  Xastir runs on any of them.  Quite well.  Oh yea,
and Windows.


> installers) I will try it tonite.  If, contrary to your claims, this is not
> actually possible, than say so publicly.  

What I will say publicly:  Spoon-feeding people who will complain
about such spoon-feeding is not my idea of fun.  I choose to
contribute to projects instead of wasting my time.  Lately I've been
helping to add SAR patches that our newest developer has been
creating, plus doing little tweaks all over the code to improve
usability.  Another developer was recently profiling the code and
made some very nice efficiency changes.

We've probably got the fastest moving codebase for APRS out there.
That's half the fun of it.  Another big part of it is:  Whatever I
dream up, I can code up and put into the program.  I'm not limited
by other people's ideas of the "proper" way to do things.  I hope
the other thirteen developers and our _many_ contributors feel the
same way.

73,

-- 
Curt, WE7U.				archer at eskimo dot com
http://www.eskimo.com/~archer
  Lotto:  A tax on people who are bad at math. - unknown
Windows:  Microsoft's tax on computer illiterates. - WE7U.
The world DOES revolve around me:  I picked the coordinate system!"