[linrad] Re: Fedora 3

[<leif@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> May be a possible solution is to think of Linrad as a software
> instrument instead of a software application and remove the idea that
> Linrad should run consurrently with other desktop applications.
Oooh! This has always been the way I think of it. Linrad is
designed to run on the obsolete computer that can no longer be
used for "normal" applications:-) The serios operator will need
at least two computers....

For processing the output of an ordinary radio a Pentium 66 MHz
is fully adequate. It is quite another thing if one wants
100kHz bandwidth (or more)

I always advocate running Linrad in run mode 3. It is highly
desireable to remove updatedb and other heavy things from the
chron list to make sure Linrad will never mis-behave. Be sure
you are just trying to work a really rare - and really weak DX
just when chron decides it needs the CPU better than Linrad.
You may loose 5 minutes............

> A distribution could be chosen and Linrad would sit on top of it. Just the
> Linux kernel and Linrad. I am biased to suggest Debian since it fits the
> model well and can be easily customized, but it could be any good
> distribution Also, one frequent critique of Debian is that it is always
> behind; which means more stable.
Remember the Live-CD for Linrad? Josh, KD7HGL made it one and a half year
ago. It was only 33 MB and would boot on most computers getting right
into Linrad. It was very handy. By carrying the CD to the computer store
I was able to find what laptop to buy (the cheapest one that would
work with the CD).

It could be done again but with a more modern svgalib and ALSA so it
would work on more computers. The fine thing was that you could put the
CD in any computer and run Linrad without touching the hard-disk
with its Microsoft stuff.

> Going a bit further, perhaps even X or svgalib could be avoided using
> something like directfb (http://www.directfb.org) which is modern,
> offers a good amount of graphics abstration and is quite light weight.
> Like now with svgalib, some people would complain that they are not able
> to run their favourite web browser while running Linrad, but if Linrad
> detaches itself from the notion that it is just another application,
> then things should be ok.
As I understand it, such a thing is not needed. Directfb is for high level
graphics (shadows and stuff) and it uses "the Linux frame buffer device".
Linrad essentially uses only set_pixel, draw_line and draw_filled_rectangle
and it could be done directly into the Linux frame buffer device without
directfb. The problem is that I know nothing about the "Linux frame buffer
device" although I do not think it installs itself easily on every hardware
platform.

I am right now working on a multi-threaded version of Linrad. The idea is
to move all the interesting radio related stuff into separate threads so
graphics can be run without any concern of timing issues. Hopefully it
will not be too difficult to convert Linrad to a multi-platform package.
I do not know how to do it myself, but Bob, N4HY is looking into it and I
hope some solution will develop:-)

73

Leif / SM5BSZ



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