[Tlf-devel] Re: tlf todo

[Wilbert Knol]

Another (hopefully simple) thing: TLF does not like having the rig 
interface via USB.

Would it be possible to allow things like /dev/ttyUSB0 for the rig 
interface? TLF can't find the rig, when I do this (even when I use a 
symlink to map it to, say, /dev/ttyS5).  know it is not a hamlib 
problem.

My old notebook PC still has one (1) a serial port, but modern laptops 
don't, so it would be useful to be able to run the rig over a 4-port 
serial USB hub. CWDAEMON and kernel-AX25 already work OK via serial 
USB.

With regards to a GUI front-end: using a 14" laptop LCD screen (as 
lots of contesters, DXpeditioners etc do), I would rather be looking 
at an ncurses screen, instead of squinting at a GUI on a paper-white 
background.

The other thing I have against GUIs for contest logging software: 
mouse action which slows you down (keyboard-mouse-keyboard hand 
movements), and I have yet to see a GUI that is snappier and faster 
than a plain text application.

Responsive software is important for contesting. A lot of our contest 
QSOs are long path, and any unresponsiveness adds to the round-trip 
propagation delay...you end up doubling with the more ignorant and 
trigger-happy callers.

Anyway...I just feel that GUIs are over-rated...they are a marketing 
gimmick for commercial software. Call me old-fashioned :-)


Wilbert, ZL2BSJ