[amsat-bb] RE: The Station Program Author Speaks!!!!!!!!

["Willmott, Paul" <paul.willmott@xxxxxxx>]

 <<Do you disagree that you decided to stop supporting it?>>

Yes, I'm just supporting it at a much slower pace!

BTW: The source code for version 1.X is lost, gone, dead, is no more, there
will be no further releases of 1.X, ... sorry but due to unfortunate series
of hard drive crashes it has goooone is no more. Station 2 (and 3) source is
however intact.

BTW again: If the translators are following this, if they could resend their
translations to me at paul.willmot@amsat.bm, then that would help Alan and
me in the rebuild of this project. ... ta

Paul, VP9MU
AMSAT-BDA


-----Original Message-----
From: Diggs, Steve
To: 'Willmott, Paul '
Cc: 'amsat-bb@amsat.org'
Sent: 6/20/00 11:22 PM
Subject: RE: The Station Program Author Speaks!!!!!!!!

Paul,
 
Where did you get the idea that there was any criticism headed your way?
In
this whole thread, not one person has said anything negative about the
effort you put out. Do you disagree that you decided to stop supporting
it?
Sure seems like that is the case, but hey, like you said, your life has
to
come first. EVERYBODY agrees with that. No problem. The point here is
that
if we pool our free time and talents together, your app. can keep on
living
and growing. Because of that, it will continue to do what you originally
wanted it to do: contribute to AMSAT. An app. with new versions and
features
will keep contributions flowing into AMSAT. 
 
So what do you say? If you're done with it, will you post the source and
let
someone else evolve it, on a strictly non-commercial basis?  
 
Regards,
Steve Diggs, W4EPI

-----Original Message-----
From: Willmott, Paul
To: 'Diggs, Steve '
Cc: 'amsat-bb@amsat.org '
Sent: 6/20/00 8:34 PM
Subject: The Station Program Author Speaks!!!!!!!!

Hey Guys, 

I really don't appreciate the shit that is coming my way. I wrote a
program that I gave free to AMSAT to raise money, I had donated hundreds
of hours to this cause (of P3D) and in addition donated several thousand
dollars of my own money to the fund. Station was written in 1993 for
Windows 3.1, it was extended in life for W95. It was announced to
AMSAT-UK in 1995, and finally made it to the US in around 1997. It has
since raised a lot of cash for our common cause, then suddenly (at aged
35), my son was born, I bought an old house in need of MUCH work (all I
could afford), then my wife left me .... and now I am a single parent of
a 2 and a half year old, ... I don't have a lot of free time. I'm very
very sorry that you all feel that I have let you down, I would love to
have time to do the hobbies I so enjoy, ... but my REAL resonsibilies
come first.

Paul Willmott, VP9MU 
Author: The Station Program 
AMSAT-BDA 

  

-----Original Message----- 
From: Diggs, Steve 
To: 'amsat-bb@AMSAT.Org ' 
Cc: 'ne1h@ne1h.dyndns.org' 
Sent: 6/20/00 9:33 PM 
Subject: RE: [amsat-bb] An open letter to the Amsat Software authors
(with a little political incorrectness!) 

Hello everybody, 
  
I would like to weigh in on this issue. This is just my humble view on 
things, nothing official. (See below) 

Ever since Bdale Garbee gave his presentation at the San Diego Annual 
Meeting regarding open source code for sat. applications and how AMSAT 
is 
effected, this issue has been on my mind. I haven't thought much of 
Bdale's 
Microsoft-bashing over the years, but I sure thought he was on the right

track with this new theme: AMSAT needs to exhibit LEADERSHIP in this 
area by 
approaching future software resale agreements strictly on an open-source

basis. The deals we have now are basically set, but that doesn't mean 
that 
shouldn't *ask* for the source, specially in the case of The Station, 
where 
the author has retired from supporting it. Want to talk about being 
offended? How about the offensive way AMSAT felt it necessary to 
announce a 
disclaimer in advance of Bdale's presentation stating that "this was one

individual's opinion. Sheesh. Get a grip. I've gone to every AMSAT 
meeting 
since Orlando, and that's the first time *that* was done. EVERY one of 
those 
presentations are one person's opinion. 
  
With that said, I clearly support AMSAT exhibiting technical leadership 
in 
the area of amateur satellite software. There are some <very> creative 
and 
dedicated folks out there developing and supporting software; I own most

of 
it. Please keep up the good work, guys. AMSAT could start a new era by 
accepting new donations using one of the existing open source 
agreements. We 
could also help ALL of the developers out documenting standard 
application 
programing interfaces and inter-process communication standards, so that

every new developer could build add-on modules to existing apps, or even

new 
apps that were plug and play with existing ones. 
  
Consider this the opening volley in an effort to fill a void our 
organization has had for quite a while: we just can't seem to bridge the

gap 
between the technically competent sat. users and the policy makers.  And

to 
put our money where our mouths are, our budding little group of AMSAT 
faithful here in Atlanta are prepared to take the lead. 
  
I look forward to a continuing dialog on this subject. 
  
Regards, 
Steve Diggs, W4EPI 
AMSAT Area Coordinator - Atlanta, GA 

-----Original Message----- 
From: Mike Gilchrist 
To: Ronald Long; ne1h@ne1h.dyndns.org 
Cc: amsat-bb@AMSAT.Org 
Sent: 6/20/00 7:59 AM 
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] An open letter to the Amsat Software authors 
(with a 
little political incorrectness!) 

At 07:07 AM 6/20/00 -0400, Ronald Long wrote: 

  >The Station was written, as I am sure you know, by vp9mu in Bermuda. 
He 
  >was, for a time, enthusiastic and promoted his software on the 
amsat-bb. 
  >Then something happened. He more or less disappeared. 

There is indeed life outside our hobby.  Paul purchased "this old house"

in 
Bermuda, and while not busy with the day-to-day of his (quite 
illustrious) 
career, spends time fixing cisterns and bringing the house up to date. 

I have been a user of The Station software for years.  I use it under 
both 
Windows 95 and Windows 98.  It works just fine.  Of course I have a wish


list I would like to see Paul implement in the next release, but I am 
perfectly willing to patiently use the software for what it is; the best


analog Doppler correction/tracking software available. 

Paul has never made any money on this effort, instead contributing all 
funds garnered to AMSAT NA. 

Rest assured Paul is listening.  I'm sure he feels a little offended by 
the 
recent dialogue here. 

As with all things in life, gather all facts on a subject before you 
make 
bold statements that might be injurious to others. 

73,  Mike - KF4FDJ 
           Mike Gilchrist 
           VP Operations 
           The Ultimate Connection 
           -------------------------------------------> 
           23170 Harborview Road 
           Charlotte Harbor, FL  33980 

< mailto:mike@theultimateconnection.com
<mailto:mike@theultimateconnection.com> >mike@theultimateconnection.com 
ph:     941-255-7394 -or- 
           800-830-7861 x364 
fax:    941-629-4452 


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