Source code availability

[k7mhi]

Is this project open or closed source I am still confused?
I honestly feel like this is a joke or a trap for any one who dares step in


If we can look at and compile custom binary, either this source code is complete and can be compiled by anyone or its closed source project provided free as in beer.

Why are we discussing hex editing binaries like hackers? Wherez the open nature of this?

I don’t understand how there is “a developer” when the code suggests multiple contribute?

I don’t understand the “legal issues” as laws are bound by limits and code is hard to limit.

I’m very confused just watching from the sidelines.

[k7mhi]

ahh I think I get it so this all boils down to

"Beta code is not released while in still under development"

a paradox if I heard one, but I get ya .. hack them binary files!?

[EA5JAQ]

Is there any idea when it's gonna be considered that the firmware is stable enough to be released? There haven't been any new betas or bug reports in months, I suppose everyone is mostly happy with it.

I'm not asking to pressure you in any way, but I've been using it in both the MD-9600 and MD-UV390 and it looks good enough to me except for a couple minor bugs (like the settings lost when it runs out of battery, nothing too serious), but definitely good enough to be considered stable.

If it gets released, maybe someone with a clone chip radio could try and find out why it doesn't run on them.

Thanks for your work

[VK3KYY]

If it gets released, maybe someone with a clone chip radio could try and find out why it doesn't run on them.

I have already offered to supply people with test code to help find the problem with the non-genuine CPU chip, however everyone has told me its too difficult / to high risk to take their radio apart and solder to the debug pads and totally erase the CPU chip and potentially complete brick the radio.
People would also need to buy a hardware debugging dongle like a STLink or JLink Edu.

[OE1MWW]

Hi all,

looks like, the discussion goes into the wrong direction!

Roger, VK3KYY and several others (see 'Firmware Info' 'Credits' in your device) - we may call them 'developers'
have spent a lot of time and money to develope the OpenGD77 as it is now. We should be grateful for this!
They give it for free, therfeore they can set the functions & rules': how it is available, how and where to use it,
(not for commercial) but all this just 'as is'. It's their firmware, therefore they can set their rules. If one tries
the published source code to compile, if one thinks a hex editor and a 'hack' will solve his ideas - as long, as it's
for his own personal use, why not. They call their releases 'beta', because there may be room for changes.
If 'beta' generates fears, either use it after all or wait and see. It is up to the developers how they call their firmware.

No one paid for OpenGD77, no one contracted the 'developers', therefore there is no way for anyone to raise
ultimate demand for changes, requesting more than the released source code or ask for 'special' mods.

73's de OE1MWW
Wolfgang

[k7mhi]

I disagree every post here ends up in the same spot it seems.

I see gatekeeping and free code as in beer thanks for the beer - your constant political avoidance of the question seems coy to most of the western world. I expect this project to never open source. And assume the political stink I smell here boils down to money.

This project isn’t open and from my perspective it’s all about power and control. Where one person asks a question about how to have a “open ham project” another fanboy protects the free beer code. Vara comes with a free copy and source code from a concept release as well.

Yes you have a cool project and if you don’t share it with anyone we all sit here and post till we get denied access after all. beer is free, speech isn’t?

Embarrassing honestly hope you share your secrets before you pass away like some other ham projects where this has occurred. You avoided answering topical questions and went on about new hardware being supported feature enhancements to the stable beta code? with these test binary but no code for feature enhancements?

Are you asking the users to provide hardware diagnostics to a closed source project or an open one? Are we enhancing your closed source for later profit? Or sale?

Good luck I’m gonna be here asking the same questions over and over.

Is it out of beta yet, you provide the source code yet? Is this project open source or just free?

[OE1MWW]

Is it out of beta yet, you provide the source code yet? Is this project open source or just free?

Your lamenting goes nowhere. These guys built/wrote/developed something and they are giving
it to us for free, with certain restrictions. There is no law or set of rules that describes what a
beta version is, if something has to be called a final version and if source code has to be released.
Open source is just a general term.

Everything you think you can smell, is boiling down to money or has some relation with your free
beer, has nothing to do with OpenGD77.

Once again, I suggest, either politely accept the current firmware release of OpenGD77 as it is, or forget it.

For you it is better the latter.

[EA5JAQ]

Yes you have a cool project and if you don’t share it with anyone we all sit here and post till we get denied access after all. beer is free, speech isn’t?

I've been following this project for a while and what I've come to realize is that it's not entirely open. The developers seem to be doing this for themselves and then they release the code once a year or so. The problem I see is that there are things that benefit them from the community (like hundreds of users testing the firmware) but then the source is only released (if it's released) when they think it's "stable", which can be a bit arbitrary and unfair for the community that did the testing or suggested new features. Also, I think I remember that according to the license, if you distribute a binary (even if it's in beta stage) it has to be accompanied by the source code and the copyright notice, but maybe I'm wrong.

In general, the tone in the forum is sometimes a bit angry in my opininon, especially towards people asking for features. The normal response is "developing the firmware takes thousands of hours" or "we're doing this for free", but then you can't also add the features yourself because normally the current source is not published (the one that is published now is 1 year old and doesn't work in the new platforms). I know it took a huge effort by the developers to make this work, and everyone appreciates it, but I think that doesn't justify being angry to everyone who, with good intentions, proposes a new change or wants to access the source code to check it out or add a feature. I'm just a 25-year-old guy who wants to play around with his radios and learn C in the way, I'm not a big corporation or someone with a commercial interest, so I don't understand all the secrecy with the code, and the politics, etc.

I remember that a couple years ago there were some contributors who wanted the source to be entirely public (check: https://opengd77.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1565#p14228) , and the developers just took the entire project off GitHub and said it was over due to legal problems. They also re-wrote the contributions of this people to keep them out of the project and changed the licence saying that they had to because they were using sections from the original binary. To me being open-source is about the community and letting everyone help out, not about giving a free firmware without accepting contributions (and re-writing the ones that had been made) and doing all the work yourself so the firmware has your name on it.

There's another project called OpenRTX that is entirelly open-source and community-focused, but sadly it's in a very early stage.

Open source is just a general term.

Open-source is not a general term, is a way of developing software with the community. You can't have a closed project (even if you spend thousands of hours on it), benefit form hundreds of people testing it, and then call it open just because you don't make people pay for it and from time to time you release a limited source. That's free software, not open-source software.

Once again, I suggest, either politely accept the current firmware release of OpenGD77 as it is, or forget it.

For you it is better the latter.

I think K7MHI just wants to make the project better by requesting for it to be open like it claims to be in its own name. When the project was a bit more open, I could find a small bug while looking at the source and even proposed a solution, and I think that's a good example on why being open-source and letting people help is good and doesn't hurt the inner-circle developers (it actually helps them).

73

[k7mhi]

just wants to make the project better by requesting for it to be open like it claims to be in its own name.

Yup, and well put sir.

Possibly just a name and position change to Roger77 or something drop all the open nonsense and just put a tip jar up. If it’s gonna make all this anger and stress, this website is good popcorn drama it keeps me around.

You’re on an island with wacky critters - enjoy a fosters and if you care lots here would like to help you foster this into a bigger project. Hope to see your hard work win you awards some day.

[YT5HOK]

I haven't seen "democracy" sign when entering this site...

So, all of you overentitled naggers, just move on... We don't need you.

Bye!