Re: [Ubuntu-hams] Contest logging project

Nate, I thought I would share some thoughts with you on the logistics of building a logging program, contest or or otherwise.

As the author of the very first windows based logging program back in 1989 (logview, rigview, hamview and packview) I can tell you that developing and keeping a logging program alive is a daunting task. I was able to maintain it until 1997 when y2k became an issue and the amount of effort for one individual to keep up with the changing demands of the community was simply to much. It was written in C and was one of the better offerings for both general logging and contest logging for its time.

Over the years I've looked at a number of contemporary programs that are feature rich to see if I could contribute and provide some of my expertise gained with 8 years of log program experience. Unfortunately, they all use rather difficult or under powered development environments. N1MM for instance, is a dedicated Win platform and to work on that code one would have to make a heavy investment in the latest win dev platform.

I've thought at length about how an open source solution might be constructed that could attract a large number of Hamix developers. As Martin, AA6E pointed out, it would be very important to split the effort into two projects: A frontend project and a backend project. Ideally, the frontend project would welcome anyone who wished to make a logging/shackcontrol/cluster user interface to participate using the language/development and perhaps even computing platform of their choice. The backend for logging/dxcc/prefix/callpartial databases, rigcontrol/rotatorcontrol/antennaswitch and cluster/telnet/packet/web should be in the form of services, preferably communicated through tcpip sockets or even better, a web api. Ideally this code should be fast, but if a standard socket or web api were used, it could be built in virtually any language and on top of any db platform and still be compatible.

I think an open source effort like this, where new comers can easily participate and add value to a growing body of code, would be an long term winner.

I think the challenge is in defining the back end services so that all the features and functions could be easily extended while preserving backward compatibility and keeping it open so new developers can step in and fill in gags as time moves forward.

The front end becomes an open field where anyone with a little programming knowledge and access to open source tools can build a new look and feel for the community.

Just my .02!

Paula, NX1P

From: Nate Bargmann <n0nb@n0nb.us>
To: Debian Users <debian-user@lists.debian.org>; Ubuntu Hams Group <ubuntu-hams@lists.launchpad.net>; Linux Hams <linux-hams@vger.kernel.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 3:25 PM
Subject: [Ubuntu-hams] Contest logging project

Hi all.

I've starting hacking on a contest logger. I am writing it in C++ and
wxWidgets and primarily targeting Linux at this time. I've been working
on this on and off for about six weeks and have reached a point where I
am running up against my inexperience in both C++ and application
development.

I am looking for whomever may be interested in helping to develop this
thing into something that actually works! I am looking specifically for
persons with knowledge of C++ and wxWidgets and who are interested in a
contest logger with a logging UI based on the classic CT.

My motivation is to be able to use the UI I and many others are
comfortable with. TR and N1MM's ESM UI are just not comfortable to me.
Beyond that requirement the only other requirement is data integrity
using some sort of database container.

At this point the program is nothing more than a few windows that are a
sort of prototype of where I want to go. The program does not accept
nor store data at this time and such niceties as duping and country
verification are far off as is rig control, et. al.

Given sufficient interest in the project I will push it up to Github and
look into starting a development mailing list. At this time it is not
useful so potential users will be disappointed.

Please reply to me direct if interested.

73, de Nate, NØNB >>

--

"The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all
possible worlds. The pessimist fears this is true."

Ham radio, Linux, bikes, and more: http://www.n0nb.us

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