[aprssig] Replacement for UI-View any one

[Keith VE7GDH]

Bob W9RXR wrote...

> That's my concern, Keith. After some effort, I got UI-View and the 
> PMapServer to run under Vista. I haven't tried Windows 7 yet. I am 
> very concerned that future Windows versions will become incompatible 
> with UI-View and UI-View users will be forced to find something else. 
> What that "something else" is, I don't know.

If some future version of Windows wasn't compatible with UI-View32 v2.03
the user would always have the option of installing an earlier version of
Windows... e.g. XP SP3. The user could make a "slipstream" copy of
the installation disk with all the updates up until the point in time where
Microsoft stopped supporting it. I do realize that not everyone would be
willing to do this, but it would be an option. I don't know when this "future
version" of Windows would be released, but hopefully if it we did get
to the point where the operating system wasn't compatible with the software,
there would be a "replacement" available by them. To be honest, I'm
just not worried about it. MS will be supporting Windows 7 for some years
to come, and hopefully for a few more years after "Windows 8" or
whatever they want to call it comes out, but I'll always have my copies of
Windows XP, one of Vista gathering dust on the shelf and perhaps at some
point in the future, a few copies of Windows 7, but not yet. It's enough time
in the future that I really don't look that far ahead. In the meantime, we
can use and benefit from UI-View. I seem to recall that it took something
like roger G4IDE became a silent key for people to start asking on the
UI-View support list "what are we going to replace UI-View with".
Well, people are still asking that same question... and still using UI-View.
 
> As for features, the only concern I have with UI-View is mapping. To 
> me, an APRS client that does not have pan and zoom maps based on 
> regularly-updated map data is not worth my time. Luckily, we have the 
> PMapServer. But, to my way of thinking, an APRS client should have 
> that capability built-in.

My copies of PM 7 and PM will never "stop working" as will my copies
of Windows XP. I know that "Windows Update" for XP will only be available
for a certain amount of time, so to have a reasonably secure operating
system, it would be worth my time learning how to "slipstream" all of
the updates onto a copy of Windows XP. PMap 8 along with PMapServer
gives me street level mapping of all of North America with pan and zoom.

When I buy a radio, I don't think about what I'll replace it with later.
I just use it and enjoy it and when it's finally worn out, or if one with
new features that I really need is available, I'll get it. In the meantime
I welcome and applaud anyone with the talent and dedication to develop
a new APRS client.

73 es cul - Keith VE7GDH
--
"I may be lost, but I know exactly where I am!"