[BC] HD Radio's lack of upgrade capability

[Cowboy]

On Saturday 22 October 2005 09:07 am, WFIFeng at aol.com wrote:
>In a message dated 10/22/2005 4:48:04 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
>barry at oldradio.com writes:
>
>>          you would need every manufacturer
>>           to have the same internal software
>>           and upgrade system.

 Well, no.....

>>           Otherwise there would need to be
>>           50 different data streams, CDs, etc.
>>  
>>           I can see the logistical nightmare.

 So can I, but that *is* the alternative, and is what lead to my pondering.
 Who's gonna pay for the logistical nightmare at every transmitter site ?

>>           ... and do we want to see ibiquity
>>           control another piece of code?

 Well, I guess that depends on who owns what stock !

>This is where the "Open Source" modem comes into play. One standard, that is 
>open to any and all. The specs are uiniversal, because the systems all share 
>the same algorythm & internal memory maps, despite possibly using more than one 
>mfgr's chipset. (Think PC's, with Intel or AMD chips.) 

 Well no.
 Open Source is a certification mark issued to Software In The Public Interest,
 and later transfered to the Open Source Initiative. 
 It does not mean that it's all the same.
 It does not mean "public domain" as many seem to think.
 It does mean that the source code is available for free, that you can
 modify it and use it in different products, that you can not make it
 proprietary, but you can make your modifications proprietary in
 patch form. It can be restricted in some ways.
 Open Source is not a license, but a compliant specification.

>With one common algorythm, there is no logistical nightmare, since every unit 
>"speaks the same language". One software update fits all radios. It would 
>also eliminate the lock that iborg has. (We can dream!)

 No, actually, it wouldn't.
 It *would* make those portions issued under an open source license
 available to all, but might not make them all the same, and might not
 necessarily eliminate the problem presented here, which is a bunch
 of different, and potentially proprietary patches.

-- 
Cowboy

http://cowboys.homeip.net

"My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four.  Unless
there are three other people."
		-- Orson Welles