[aprssig] How to get new software evaluated???

[Andrew P.]

Greetings, all (especially WB4APR).

As promised, I have a first (very early) cut of my new APRS application (currently code-named YAAC, for "Yet Another APRS Client" :-) waiting to be pounded on by experts in the field. It is not ready for full release quite yet (still have some source code clean-up and a few missing sub-features to add), but I would like to know if I'm doing the right thing or have majorly stumbled down the wrong path in my development efforts.

So, I'd be interested in having Bob (and any others in the core of APRS development who are interested and have the time) take a whack at using my app, and tell me where I need to improve and/or correct it before I let it out to the general public.

How is this sort of thing done here? I'm not ready to hand out source code yet (the innards aren't stable enough to have others tinker yet), but I can easily ship a zip file that unpacks a runnable distribution. 

Known working platforms are Windows XP (NTFS filesystems only, for some weird reason) and Fedora Core Linux (releases 13 and 15, with a hack needed on 15). It should work on any 32-bit Windows or Linux distro with Java installed, and theoretically should work on MacOSX too. It can listen to APRS-IS servers, and both receive and transmit through KISS (or KISSable by TNC2 command) TNC's, and listen to Kenwood radios in APRS mode (Kenwood firmware doesn't seem to allow transmitting APRS from the radio and a computer simultanously). It also works with NMEA 0183-compliant GPS receivers (not yet with gpsd in the way). App configuration is done inside the app with a configuration GUI; no need to hand-edit config files.

So, how do I get some initial alpha-test field feedback?

Andrew Pavlin, KA2DDO
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry