PR: HRD Press Release

Yep, time to just quit the hobby and sell all your gear... HOW DARE those new HRD folks even think about being compensated for their software skills and expertise whilst maintaining and updating HRD. Don't they know people like you and me will simply quit the hobby!! They are killing amateur radio... my GAWD... the next thing you know they will stop requiring code for HF.
OH THE HUMANITY!!

 

No, not really... I will be happy to compensate the new HRD folks with cash for a product of this quality as I will be enlisting their time, software skills and expertise as opposed to developing the software myself. If you are looking to amateur radio to be a cheap or free hobby... you have certainly picked the wrong hobby.

 

Its probably better that you not try digital anyway.
As it is obvious that your reluctance as expressed in your post about adequately compensating a software coder for his expertise and skills couple with your lack of initiative to learn the digital modes, ... so I agree with and support your decision to stay of the digital modes.

 

OK folks. Let's take a real deep breath here and relax for a moment.

It seems some just can't help themselves from jumping on the internet bandwagon and claim all sorts of non-sense. I have nothing to do with HRD, but one thing is clear. Those using the current latest version of HRD may continue using it till the day they die! In fact, version 5.1 is going to be FREE!

The "hoopla" over the death of HRD is much adoo about nothing, IMHO. If you are using HRD currently, NOTHING is going to stop you from doing so!!

OTOH, if you have been somewhat annoyed at the lack of updates over the past two years or so, then stay tuned! It's just possible we might see updates for all those "wish list" items we've seen posted for years now. Anyone willing to fork over hundreds of dollars, if not thousands of dollars, for rigs and antennas who feels they can't pay good money for updates to a great program, well YOU DON'T HAVE TO!

This really is becoming silly. But of course, this is the internet.

Stay tuned and see what happens with the software. If you like it, buy it. If you don't, don't. If you want to keep using the free versions, do so.

BLIMEY!!

................Bob

 

I seem to like others have struck a nerve with a possible shill for this bunch! Who else would take the time to reply with condescending remarks to several posters in a row I think I smell a shill or more! Glad to know it will be frree, my point was I wont pay for this if the peiople w\ho put money in it are not compensated for thier funding efforts or help on it they got nothing out of it so why shopuld anyone until they are fairly compensated that is IF that is a big one IF it is sold then I wexdpect some of those involved might wish to seek money for it since it was not told them it would be later sold.
Thos who protest my and others position of not wanting to buy it the way they attack so fast smells like they have some sort of vested interst in it. Why defend it so firmly unless they do in some way?
time will tell, I will suggest we watch for the callsigns on these threads who are apparently deeply offended we dont want to buy the thing, I find it a bit odd they defend something like it is the last bastion of an empire It is good QRZ is made of infinitum, an indestructible material that preserves words forever and a day
Then we can go back with the I told you sos until then why argue? It solves little and annoys the moderators who have thier hands full with the rest of us kiddies here on Romper Room!
I say 73 and peace to all remember this is just a forum, these are merely our opinions both great and small and we all deserve to drop the stupid caste system some hams see as a fact of life in ham radio, that is BS and I do not support it either!
Sorry if the spelling and grammar are not picture perfect I as alower class non importasnt cheapskate didnt have the edjicashun some of ya'll got NAh not really!
Im not one to originate any little digs but I can sure deal with them! SIncerely,Michelle

 

The most interesting issue, is the fact that they purchased a program that is dependent on open source DLL's. If they try to go commercial I am guessing they will have the very large legal department of the Free Software Foundation knocking on their door.

Some(such as I believe Simon was) are under the misguided opinion that if the open source is in a self-contained DLL, then they are free to use, but the legal team at the FSF(and their many lawyers) does not agree with that interpretation at all.

The developers of the open source code may not have bothered coming after Simon very hard before, since he was not pursuing it as a commercial venture. BUT if HRD goes commercial, then the developers of the open source code may be MUCH more likely to pursue the prosecution of their software licenses, which means that HRD will have to either release ALL of the source code that is involved in the extension and use of those open source libraries, or they will have to stop using that open source code.

I wonder of these guys knew what sort of legal issues they purchased, or if they mistakenly believed any assurances from Simon who was himself mistaken in his interpretation of the GPL when it comes to DLL libraries. The status of the open source code in HRD is quite more an issue than anyone such as Simon ever admitted.

The alternative they have to to replace all the open source code in the product with totally new code of their own, but your talking about most all of the code inside DM780 that does the actual hard work of decoding etc.. that would not be a small effort and the cost and time to do so would definitely eat into their profits from this purchase.

 

Simon has already addressed this issue over on one of the yahoo radio forums, and this is exactly what is going to happen. He has already done much of this work for his commercial SDR-Radio project.

The new 5.1 release, which will be free, will be HRD/DM780 V5 as it is now with bug fixes and to-do list items addressed, but after that the commercial version of HRD will have all new DLL's written mostly by Simon from SDR-Radio. I think this is a good thing! I don't have an SDR Radio here myself, can't afford it right now, but I try and stay in the loop with what is going on, and from what I have heard the new decoders are very good indeed!

73,
~Dave VA3KAB

 

I wish more manufacturers realised that SDR is the technology of the future... and integrated such things as i.f. outputs on transceivers to allow integration with SDR software... (Hello Kenwood... )

By the way, why is only one major player (Flex Radio) even doing SDR in a big way, and not just as an add-on?

Also, why do most Ham equipment manufacturers drag their heals so long to add even such things as USB connectivity to their equipment?

I wish Simon Brown (HB9DRV) all the best in his new direction and thanks to him for such an excellent suite of Ham software!


~Robin. N6RLS

 

The FLDigi library seems to be LGPL so I think they're safe there.

I haven't checked the other licenses.

 

Doubtful. The first thing the FSF will do is ask for GPL compliance and if that is not achieved then the right to redistribute is revoked. It then goes on from there. However, the FSF will do nothing unless and until the authors of the original code determine a license violation has taken place.

The license of the code in uquestion is key. Per the FSF, any linking to GPL (GNU General Public License) code (runtime is considered linking in this case by them) must be by code that is itself licensed under a GPL compatible license. Code licensed under the Lesser General Public License can be linked to by code under any license. Many non-FSF licenses also exist, each with their own way of covering the code in question and derived works.

Certainly, this issue needs to be vetted. It is also possible that the authors in question could provide their code to HRD under a license that allows closed-source derivative works and also under the GPL. I have not seen what terms the authors of the source code provided their code to Simon. If there were never separate terms discussed, then in my opinion, based on my reading of FSF documentation over the years, a GPL violation has existed as it appears that a linking situation consistent with the LGPL terms was taking place which is not allowed by the GPL (just based on the bits and pieces I've read).

Discussions with those authors needs to take place. Those authors would be advised to contact the FSF for guidance. But only those authors have any standing in this matter. The rest of us are merely spectators.

Another thought that comes to mind is that HRD is, as I understand it, primarily a European product and is probably covered by Swiss and EU copyright laws. Conversely, the GPL is an instrument of applying copyleft terms to code under US law. Now that the HRD code is going to be maintained in the US, the authors of the GPL code (if indeed that is the license the DM780 used DLLs source are licensed under) may have a stronger case for pursuing infringement should they choose to do so.

 

one of my first internet address was with fsf.. ricker@ai.mit.edu

But this is their mantra on their page.

?The FSF advocates for free software ideals as outlined in the Free Software Definition, works for adoption of free software and free media formats, and organizes activist campaigns against threats to user freedom like Windows 7, Apple's iPhone and OS X, DRM on ebooks and movies, and software patents."

I dont consider Apple or Microsoft a threat. Maybe because I was around the founders in the beginning too.

Dont get me wrong, Im all for open source for basic teaching and learning (which we even have open source in the ROC code, see the HHMODE DLL for MT-63, which Pawel worked with us on).

 

Hey, if one good thing can come out of this thread, it's that I found out about that PPA. Thanks, Nate!

 

Exactly. Couldn't have said it any better.

 

Sad to see HRD go this way

I have been using DM780 for 4 years and although it is a good decoder and a "do it all" program I am sad to see it leave the freeware universe.
There has always been a tension in my mind as to whether to use DM780 or FLdigi, with the DM780 superbrowser being the deciding factor.
I have also paid Patrick for Multipsk so I am prepared to pay for ham software.
The new rights owners have every legal right to develop it and sell it, but the argument that current and version 5.1 will be free is, for me, not compelling.
The problem is that new modes and submodes are continually being developed, and version 5 will eventually be a fossilised relic.

If you look at the list of software authors who have contributed to HRD/DM780 and the amount of open source software used to construct
the entire edifice, it is obvious that it is not a one man effort, so I suspect the level of concern expressed on this thread is to some extent
understandable.

So, the decision facing all of us HRD/DM780 users is whether to continue to invest time and eventually money, into HRD/DM780 or move to
some other software.
Each ham needs to assess his or her personal operating style to determine what software best suits their needs.

In my case, the new HRD paridigm has tilted the balance towards Fldigi, so I will be investing my time into this program for my digital needs
in the short term and looking at Multipsk more closely as well.

I wish the new "owners" of HRD well with their business venture, yet I am sad to see the passing of an era in free digital software.

73s and regards - Rob.

 

>DM780 superbrowser being the deciding factor.

FYI.. fldigi has the same functionality as the DM780 superbrowser for PSK and RTTY transmissions using the "PSK Viewer" and "Signal Viewer" functionality, and will also report to pskreporter.info as it watches for any signals on the band.