K3 Beta Firmware
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I see it is being recommended for K3 owners to upgrade to the latest beta
firmware. I have always waited for the regular releases. There has been a plethora of changes since the last regular release in early May. It would be nice if all the stable items in these betas were incorporated into a regular release so those of us not interested in being beta testers could catch up to some degree. 73, Lee (K9CM) ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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Even a "public beta" release has undergone a significant amount of real
life field testing by around 80 testers and it's easy to revert back to an earlier version if you find a problem. The more recent releases have significant improvements in many areas, especially the noise reduction. There is no reason to wait for a release to be a regular one, updating is simple and safe. I've even had my laptop go into hibernation half way through a firmware update without needing the radio to be returned to the factory. Unlike some other radios, the K3 is very robust with regard to firmware updates. 73 Dave, G4AON K3/100 #80 f/w 3.44 ------------------------------ I see it is being recommended for K3 owners to upgrade to the latest beta firmware. I have always waited for the regular releases. There has been a plethora of changes since the last regular release in early May. It would be nice if all the stable items in these betas were incorporated into a regular release so those of us not interested in being beta testers could catch up to some degree. 73, Lee (K9CM) ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Lee Trout
Lee,
No new code will likely be compiled to form a "new release level" - IMHO, that would be even more risky than creating a new beta release, and would itself require more testing than any new beta release. What has happened in the past, and will likely continue into the future, is that a beta release which has demonstrated itself to be as stable or more so than the prior 'production release' will be named as the new production release. I am doing one doing pre-beta testing, and have not yet found a need to back-level the firmware except as a comparison test. If you look at the code levels, you will see the numbers jump, even in the 'beta' releases. The reasons for those jumps is that as a new function is added, it may have been done in incremental steps, or there was a problem discovered in the pre-beta testing which was corrected in the next level. The newest beta release has been quite stable in the minds of the pre-beta testers, so it was released to all K3 owners who want to take advantage of it. The firmware is not going to break your K3 hardware in any way, so why not just load the new beta release to obtain the added functions. If you experience any problems, just re-load the prior version. Yes, it would be helpful if you reported the problem encountered. It is that willingness to report problems that makes one a beta tester. Just using the beta release does not make anyone a beta tester. 73, Don W3FPR Lee Trout wrote: > I see it is being recommended for K3 owners to upgrade to the latest beta > firmware. I have always waited for the regular releases. There has been a > plethora of changes since the last regular release in early May. It would > be nice if all the stable items in these betas were incorporated into a > regular release so those of us not interested in being beta testers could > catch up to some degree. > > 73, Lee (K9CM) > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[hidden email] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 8.5.421 / Virus Database: 270.14.20/2440 - Release Date: 10/16/09 06:32:00 > > Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Lee Trout
As one of the testers and a person with 40 years of software development experience, I would say this latest release is as close to "gold code" as I have seen. There is no real risk other than to reload the old code. By the time K3 code hits the beta list it is really pretty good. I would look at the release notes and if there is an improvement you think you would like then move up.
The folks working on the K3 code are amazing! The move from conception, to alpha, to beta is usually clean and quick. The K3 is a serious work in progress with lots of happy plateaus of stable feature rich releases. Best investment I ever made. Dan Dan AB3EN |
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In reply to this post by Lee Trout
My problem with the BETA process is that it is in no way intuitively obvious as to how to install it. I have put this on the reflector before and got pu-pawed,
I have Windows Vista. It is Pain in the A… to install the new betas. You CAN NOT click and download the file. PERIOD. You MUST follow a specific procedure just to even see the zip file (because for some unknown reason it is in a FTP folder. That means you have to openthe folder in a separate window/tab, etc. etc. etc. and do it CORECTLY. Why can’t the beta file be placed as an icon/link? Why can’t the K3Utility have a special tab for BETA releases? And there are many other ways this process could be improved. My 2 cents. KE0X
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On Sat, 17 Oct 2009 07:46:08 -0700 (PDT), Rich <[hidden email]>
wrote: > >My problem with the BETA process is that it is in no way intuitively obvious >as to how to install it. I have put this on the reflector before and got >pu-pawed, > >I have Windows Vista. It is Pain in the A to install the new betas. You >CAN NOT click and download the file. PERIOD. You MUST follow a specific >procedure just to even see the zip file (because for some unknown reason it >is in a FTP folder. That means you have to openthe folder in a separate >window/tab, etc. etc. etc. and do it CORECTLY. > >Why cant the beta file be placed as an icon/link? > >Why cant the K3Utility have a special tab for BETA releases? > >And there are many other ways this process could be improved. > >My 2 cents. > >KE0X The problem is not with the Download process. It is Vista, which is such a PITA that MS has had to replace it with Windows Seven. None of the troubles you describe exist with any of the versions of XP. That is why MS is still selling and supporting XP. Tom, N5GE [hidden email] K3 #806, K3 #1055, PR6, XV144, XV432, KRC2, W1 and other small kits. 2 W2's on order 1 K144XV on order http://www.n5ge.com http://www.swotrc.net ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
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My PC with XP died at least two years ago and this is what I got. So is it going to work with Windows 7? Or be an even worse mess.
Shouldnt the web page be written so that it is windows Vista compatable? Shouldnt the web page be written so that it is Windows 7 Ccompatable? Shouldnt the webpage be written so thjat it is MAC, Chrome, MSIE, Firefox, XXX ZZZ, etc. etc compatable/ I can see many other web pages with ZIP files that I can click on and download but not on Elecraft, WHY? If the K3Utility can download the “Real” firmware update, why not another tab that goes to the BETA firmware. And I have been writing code since 1975 – from assembly language up, not just higher level language soI know it can be done. Rich The problem is not with the Download process. It is Vista, which is such a PITA that MS has had to replace it with Windows Seven. None of the troubles you describe exist with any of the versions of XP. That is why MS is still selling and supporting XP. Tom, N5GE |
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On Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:26:16 -0700 (PDT), Rich <[hidden email]>
wrote: > >My PC with XP died at least two years ago and this is what I got. So is it >going to work with Windows 7? Or be an even worse mess. > [snip] Beta release users are saying it may be the best OS MS ever wrote. Most of the people saying this reported that Vista was a PITA, so there may be hope. If you still have your installation software for XP you can install it on the new computer. Also a long time developer here. Started in 1978 with TRS-80 ;o) 73, Tom, N5GE [hidden email] K3 #806, K3 #1055, PR6, XV144, XV432, KRC2, W1 and other small kits. 2 W2's on order 1 K144XV on order http://www.n5ge.com http://www.swotrc.net ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
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Time for me to get off this thread. It's becoming too long (In my opinion). 73, Tom, N5GE [hidden email] K3 #806, K3 #1055, PR6, XV144, XV432, KRC2, W1 and other small kits. 2 W2's on order 1 K144XV on order http://www.n5ge.com http://www.swotrc.net ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
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The point I was trying to emphasize was that as much as I know about computers that I find it a PITA to download the beta, so I can imagine how hard it is for the plain old "computer user". It is SOoooo easy to do the regular updates with the K3Utility, but I haven’t been able (needed) to use it in about two years. Why can't that program be modified to do it? That is what we need. Not a set of instructions for this OSnmaother for that OS, and the fact that you need to use this or that extra web explorer. I know that, I have done that it is a PITA. Why can't the K3UItility program do it?
Rich |
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In reply to this post by N5GE
I have been using Windows 7 (both beta and Release Candidate) for a few
months and it works fine. If there is a difficult way of doing something, I usually find it! I have done several beta downloads. Put the FTP site in your "Bookmarks" (I use Firefox). I use the default download directory and let the zip file automatically extract to a sub-directory of the same name. All I have to do is change the last 1 or 2 characters in the default K3 Utility directory to match the filename (the first time you have to browse for it). I am not very familiar with Vista so cannot make any comparisons. Next week I hope to get Windows 7 "family pack" for my 3 computers. 73 Tony Fegan VE3QF On 17-Oct-09 11:09 AM, Radio Amateur N5GE wrote: > On Sat, 17 Oct 2009 07:46:08 -0700 (PDT), Rich<[hidden email]> > wrote: > >> >> My problem with the BETA process is that it is in no way intuitively obvious >> as to how to install it. I have put this on the reflector before and got >> pu-pawed, >> >> I have Windows Vista. It is Pain in the A… to install the new betas. You >> CAN NOT click and download the file. PERIOD. You MUST follow a specific >> procedure just to even see the zip file (because for some unknown reason it >> is in a FTP folder. That means you have to openthe folder in a separate >> window/tab, etc. etc. etc. and do it CORECTLY. >> >> Why can’t the beta file be placed as an icon/link? >> >> Why can’t the K3Utility have a special tab for BETA releases? >> >> And there are many other ways this process could be improved. >> >> My 2 cents. >> >> KE0X > [snip] > > The problem is not with the Download process. It is Vista, which is > such a PITA that MS has had to replace it with Windows Seven. > > None of the troubles you describe exist with any of the versions of > XP. That is why MS is still selling and supporting XP. > > Tom, N5GE > > [hidden email] > K3 #806, K3 #1055, PR6, > XV144, XV432, KRC2, > W1 and other small kits. > > 2 W2's on order > 1 K144XV on order > > http://www.n5ge.com > http://www.swotrc.net > Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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In reply to this post by Rich
>My problem with the BETA process is that it is >in no way intuitively obvious as to how to >install it. I have put this on the reflector >before and got pu-pawed, I have Windows >Vista. It is Pain in the A to install the >neew betas. You CAN NOT click and download the >file. PERIOD. You MUST follow a specific >procedure just to even see the zip file (because >for some unknown reason it is in a FTP >folder. That means you have to openthe folder >in a separate window/tab, etc. etc. etc. and do >it CORECTLY. Why can't the beta file be placed >as an icon/link? Why can't the K3Utility have a >special tab for BETA releases? And there are >many other ways this process could be improved. My 2 cents. KE0X Lee Trout Lee, All that is basic file and directory management and unzipping that you have to know if you want to use a computer. There are no shortcuts. You have to learn file and directory management if you want to advance beyond email and web browsing. Before you download the zip, simply navigate to the directory where you want it to go before you download it. Then open Windows Explorer (formerly File Manager). After you download the zip, before unzipping it, navigate to the directory that you want the extracted files to go to. Once you learn file management, the process is simple. With VISTA, you may want to run download and run TweakUAC.exe to turn off UAC. That will eliminate most of the annoying pop ups. Or you can just upgrade to XP or 7. Paul ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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