lustyd
Well-known member
And would that be Garmin, or B&G version of VMG? We've seen huge confusion on the forum about this in the past!
Would you buy a raspberry Pi based multiplexor/datalogger if it was easy?
- Thread starter GHA
- Start date
slawosz
Active member
I didn't have time for the entire thread, but I am afraid that there is very narrow use for ideas you propose. On small boats you probably don't need much of this, On many bigger boats owners has probably budget to go with 'trusted' companies - which at this point probably use part of the software you presented. Then you have bigger boats where owners don't need much, as they do max 1000 nm per year.
Also, do you really need this kind of information in practice? Its very nice to have but I see it very impractical. So I think it will be still a thing of hackers and DIY'iesr, at least until the current generation of developers will retire. Then it might be a game changer.
Although, I can see this could become a thing - if sold in nice packages, plug and play. This is how open source is being monetized - the software is free, the installation and support is not.
In other thread, I gave an idea of creating tiny gizmo which would translate N183/N2k or any other protocol into something hackable over eth one way or another.
Also, reliability comes to mind - for serious cruising, I would still prefer to trust my QC'ed factory device.
On the other side, I am looking into designs/designing 3d printed/DIY'ed instruments for budget/non-critical users. I am happy to collaborate on such.
Also, do you really need this kind of information in practice? Its very nice to have but I see it very impractical. So I think it will be still a thing of hackers and DIY'iesr, at least until the current generation of developers will retire. Then it might be a game changer.
Although, I can see this could become a thing - if sold in nice packages, plug and play. This is how open source is being monetized - the software is free, the installation and support is not.
In other thread, I gave an idea of creating tiny gizmo which would translate N183/N2k or any other protocol into something hackable over eth one way or another.
Also, reliability comes to mind - for serious cruising, I would still prefer to trust my QC'ed factory device.
On the other side, I am looking into designs/designing 3d printed/DIY'ed instruments for budget/non-critical users. I am happy to collaborate on such.
ylop
Well-known member
in general for “fun” I write in Python. I’ve had a play with some micro Python on an ESP2866, i didn’t have a specific project in mind I was more intrigued by the idea; it I had a real project in mind I might have scraped the dust of my old C textbooks!
GHA
Well-known member
Love micropython for esp, it just works and the web repl is great, upload & download files over wifi even if a main program loop crashes. Get something running & no need to get near it again.
even the fridge thermostat is an esp so it can be turned off on a timer when using the ham radio or receiving a weatherfax. Been so many fridge defrosts midocean forgetting to turn it on again after receiving another weatherfax.Which is another thing the Pi can do on it's own, tune & save audio from a funcubedongle USB receiver tuned to weatherfax frequency. Nothing signalk can't do
slawosz
Active member
I would keep using old C books as monitor stand and learn Rust
ylop
Well-known member
That is certainly the current industry trend although I saw someone offering very good rates for COBOL experience recently - so perhaps it's lucrative to stay old fashioned!I would keep using old C books as monitor stand and learn Rust
Refueler
Well-known member
Isn't it that there are people who just like to do it because it can be done ?
AngusMcDoon
Well-known member
It may be a trend, but it's a very slow one and at a very low level still. I do embedded contracting (so I go into lots of companies short term), and I'm writing this now while avoiding doing exactly that. It's almost all C or C++ in embedded world still. Currently the processor family I'm working on is an ARM based Renesas Synergy offering. Google "Renesas Synergy Rust" and there's not a single hit. This would be typical of the type of processor used in a commercial marine electronics instrument product. There are some hits for Rust on ESP32, but I have never seen that device used commercially.
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AngusMcDoon
Well-known member
I would keep using old C books as monitor stand and learn Rust
C and its derivative languages power almost everything somewhere in the stack. Even the few applications that may use one of the newfangled languages that come and Go their compiler and the OS it runs under will almost certainly be written in a C derivative language. It's not dead yet, not by a very long way. That's borne out by the desperate chronic shortage of embedded software engineers in the UK with C/C++ experience.
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slawosz
Active member
Oh yes, COBOL. I think it will become gold mine, if is not yet!
It used to be now and then new C/C++ language, that faded away, but it seems that industry is ready for switch, or rather make a slow transition into Rust. I am surely biased, as I am currently learning Rust, but there are signs in the stars that it might become more than a temporary hype.
Its quite interesting remark regarding shortage of embedded devs, I never really got into C/CPP except for some side projects. But if Rust popularity will keep growing, it might be an interesting space to look for a job with more civilised language than C/C++
AngusMcDoon
Well-known member
Its quite interesting remark regarding shortage of embedded devs, I never really got into C/CPP except for some side projects. But if Rust popularity will keep growing, it might be an interesting space to look for a job with more civilised language than C/C++
Perhaps one day, but for now, 99% of embedded software jobs, permanent and contract, ask for C/C++. It bought my new boat, and will see my time out so I can go sailing on it.
lustyd
Well-known member
Lol I feel that those learning Rust see those signs in the stars while the rest of us just carry on with the work. Those that know C will carry on using it and the industry won't change. We've been around this loop so many times and nothing ever changes with the serious stuff. I see so many contractors talking about the new and shiny and getting very little done. At least Rust is efficient though, Python is an abomination and is costing billions in unnecessary compute.
GHA
Well-known member
Strange attractor time
Tiny input, a few words and boom
Thread instantly morphs into something completely different
Tiny input, a few words and boom
Thread instantly morphs into something completely different
laika
Well-known member
I see what you did there
A few years back I proposed re-writing kplex in Go: it’s actually a great fit for the language structure. Users did not give the thumbs up though, with people pointing out they were running it on various bits of hardware which has never seen a go compiler.
GHA
Well-known member
in other news .......... latest beta (alpha maybe?) version of opencpn lets you send routes to other machines running on the same network with a right click and nmea2000 can now be received. Just keeps on evolving , long live opensource!!
Anyone have anything to say about getting openplotter up and running on a Pi? Just did yet another install and every time it's fine, burn the card, card in Pi, turn on. If it's headless log on to the network it creates & vnc in. Every time, just works.
Anyone have anything to say about getting openplotter up and running on a Pi? Just did yet another install and every time it's fine, burn the card, card in Pi, turn on. If it's headless log on to the network it creates & vnc in. Every time, just works.
slawosz
Active member
I think that selling some bundle or doing better marketing could help OpenCPN. OpenCPN page is not bad, but still quite scary and I think it would use lot of contributions from usability and marketing point of views.
I was actually planning to buy Pi + screen + ais receiver and bodge my own plotter, but 'unfortunately' someone was selling his Onwa unit.
I would love to contribute - but again - time (as some may noticed, I follow the internet hype and trying to learn Rust
). I have few projects for sailing in my head, and the first would be cheap wind instruments. I notices, due to economy, some of Baltic sailors from Poland is using OpenCPN on older laptops and are very happy.
GHA
Well-known member
Thanks,I think that selling some bundle or doing better marketing could help OpenCPN. OpenCPN page is not bad, but still quite scary and I think it would use lot of contributions from usability and marketing point of views.
I was actually planning to buy Pi + screen + ais receiver and bodge my own plotter, but 'unfortunately' someone was selling his Onwa unit.
I would love to contribute - but again - time (as some may noticed, I follow the internet hype and trying to learn Rust
I notices, due to economy, some of Baltic sailors from Poland is using OpenCPN on older laptops and are very happy.
Opencpn will indeed run very well on very low power machines.
Right now I'm on an ancient subnotebook with what seems like about 6byte of ram, my windup kitchen timer is faster than this
More than 1 tab in a web browser & time stands still ...., but opencpn runs fine, plenty workable. It's a well written piece of software. For free
Another quick one since a few that know my pop in here -
- PCB size, biggest cheap option from jlcpcb is 100mm x 100mm. Is there like stock sizes of enclosure project boxes that everyone uses & would make sense to size for those? Or not bother, just go with what looks right?
JLCPCB also do 3d printing but that's not going to happen first time round, maybe later.
When the new laptop that can actually run software turns up
Be great to get *something* up and running, 2 sided 100x100 boards with no components are only $2 plus shipping so not a big outlay to try.
slawosz
Active member
Thanks,
Opencpn will indeed run very well on very low power machines.
Right now I'm on an ancient subnotebook with what seems like about 6byte of ram, my windup kitchen timer is faster than this
Yes. 100 quid laptop from ebay (thinkpad, toughbook) would be plenty. For net browsing though with modern javascript heavy websites, might be not
Also, when you cruise on baltic (or probably meds) you don't need to be in contact with you chart, hence the laptop in the cabin. Its more for planning, as navigation there is much easier due to lack of shallow water for miles and tides.
Not sure if you are asking for enclusures here. But I am more than happy to design and print anything you want. Print if you are in UK, if oversees I would recommend to find someone with 3d printer around.More than 1 tab in a web browser & time stands still ...., but opencpn runs fine, plenty workable. It's a well written piece of software. For free
Another quick one since a few that know my pop in here -
- PCB size, biggest cheap option from jlcpcb is 100mm x 100mm. Is there like stock sizes of enclosure project boxes that everyone uses & would make sense to size for those? Or not bother, just go with what looks right?
ylop
Well-known member
this is good. I guess from an outsider's view point this is where it gets a bit scary. If you want that feature do you upgrade to the beta but risk it being flaky or wait an indeterminate time until the release is ready. I don't have a solution - its something I see on other OSS - you find and issue or obvious feature missing, you go online to see if there is a solution, and there is but its only in the development branch and you've no idea when the release that includes it is due. Of course its volunteer driven so that is the problem.
no - I've done it twice (32bit and 64bit) and it was seamless. I've bought charts and that was seamless too. I did get more of a battle getting AIS from the Pi to show up on the networked tablet. I solved that but I never really understood what was broken (which does make me slightly concerned about an upgrade in the future).
I've not bought an enclosure since I've had a 3d printer. If you've not got a 3d printer you should get one - it will satisfy your need for fiddling, frustration and f-ing and blinding at things not working how you expect no end. Actually it would be quite nice if more of the open marine electronics projects came with ready to print (or order) files for enclosures.
GHA
Well-known member
Would love a 3d printer but no room at home for that. Only a little boat.
Where did you get the idea that I have some weird need for all that negativity? Sooooo far off the mark. Quite the reverse. So much pleasure to be had from learning things,from when they work, often first time. Why else would anyone keep going back for more?
Let's face it, you must be one of the most negative people on the forums, every single step of the way it's doom and gloom, often about things you know nothing about. Doesn't have to be that way. First positive step would be regonising and admitting it to yourself. Much nicer to live in a happy positive world. It only exists in our heads, very little to do with the meagre electrical sense data of brains get from outside
Cheer up
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