As per the idea of "understanding" or determining
the firmware code of a particular product - I am
referring to legal situations. Example a company
goes bankrupt and vanishes from the market -
how do the surviving customers determine what it
was that the company designed into the firmware?
Or how can they continue, in some other fashion,
to support and upgrade the firmware that existed.
The list was discussing the "longevity" of rigs
like the K3, etc. As a one who worked long
hours in firmware & R&D groups - all sorts of
situations need to be planned for. I guess
the worst - if a "Index Labs" situation befell
the Elecraft Inc. org. What happens then?
Or a hostile takeover situation surfaced -
ala kill the product.
And, we as customers, what can we do, what can
we request?
Suddenly all the critical things surface;
was the software documented? Can the
customers some how obtain control of the
last versions of the firmware/software?
Did the designers use structure in their
design, or was it more seat of the pants?
Is the software full of "timed" loops, and
critical timing software? Is the software
even supported anymore in the industry?
Is there a supported development system,
for the software/firmware used?
Given Elecraft's conservative customer-based
nature - I suspect we, as customers, are in
pretty good hands. As an engineer who
worked many of these problems and worked with
many other computer sci and firware designers
in these trenches, I have natural
technical concerns. Very bright computer
engineers, can create some very difficult
supportable software situations. Documentation,
often is left to the end. We'll do all of that
when we get time .................
I guess we are only talking a $2000 personal
investment - worst case!
Fred, de N3CSY
western Florida
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