Re: TkEmc problems

["Arne Chr. Jorgensen" <instel-at-online.no>]

On Thu, 20 Jan 2000, you wrote:
>Fred and list
>
>I'd be pleased to work with a gui committee but I don't need to be the
>number one gui guy.  I do like the idea of freeing up time for motion
>stuff.  And a general steering committee would be outstanding.  
>
>I know nothing of the open source committee models mentioned, could we 
>start by just setting up a committees page on linuxcnc and add folk 
>as they volunteer?  Or do we want to keep these working groups more
>private?  Or are there more formal and effective systems available?
>
Hi,  I add a few things I mailed to Dan:

( I cut it out from some of my 486 page discussion)
 
 My main concerns:

How can I write anything like this,  so that it gets easy for you to insert it
into the cookbook with a minimum of work ?

I tried to follow the draft that Fred proposed for the chapters, etc.  I have
raised this question before:  Should we automate it somewhat - by pulling out
some sort of template from the site + have I little guide.

Here is a few thoughts:  

1.
Let just say you had a html page,  with words like "Subject", "Title", 
"Subdivisjons" ,  and dividing lines.  Many just <your text goes here> ,  such
that people would see how much tabulation etc. - Well, you know what I mean,
and the " little guide would say a few words - and maybe point  a link to a good
page that someone have written.

I would also add:  There should be a short description on the top, that could
serve as a short form look up - sort of thing.

2.
I am writing this in KDE, - have no spell checking :)  Here they have made a
lot of single html pages, - making up the handbook.  This is in fact terrible -
because you may want to print it out, - and it becomes a nightmare.  I would
ask  Fred, et al - or some other guru - how you can convert it into postscript,
or pdf.  In the end,  it would be very nice if you could have the whole
handbook downloaded in such a format.        

3.
I would keep a list of the authors, - just for the administration.  Any errors
in the page, - let just say I have calculated the memory addresses wrong,  then
at the bottom of each insent title, there should be a - report error to -
link.  People should be able to type in a note, and this should then look up
the "hidden authors" list, and forward the mail back to the author. If this
person changes email address,  are not longer to get hold of,  then this
"hidden list"  will be updated.
I hate the idea of my email address out in the open.  

4.
I don't know how all this is going to work out, - I may have another job
tomorrow,  - and can't  support my page or what ever I end up doing. This
"hidden authors"  list,  can then easy be changed to another person that steps
in and take over some of the responsibility.

5.
I don't quite understand what Fred proposed, - making some sort of consortium,
and selected "staff"  members, etc.  We like to be free ? - don't we ?  
I am not sure if you would like to be in charge of correcting and editing pages
in this handbook, ( or cookbook )  hmm.... I would change the name ) 
But I think that you have to make authors responsible for their page, - but in
a nice way.  The same thing with everything else.  So the "hidden" list - is a
more nice way to do it, else people would not want to contribute. Simply
because - am I really going to take this burden  ?

--------------------------------------------------
The thing is - this might grow out of our hands,  if we don't  plan a little. 
Just think about it - in a few years -  half of the globe will be witness
everything you do.  That is a lot of people !!!! 
--------------------------------------------------


>I'd also like to work or keep close track on the plc stuff.  I've been
>wondering what the iosh file was for.  I was also hoping that the 
>linuxplc project would take off, it has, but I'm not sure about 
>their producing any compatable code.  They are making a big thing 
>of Fred's shared memory stuff but I got trashed for suggesting NML 
>and the other RTL processes so I'm not real hopeful.
>

I don't quite follow you here - as I have not had time to dig into PLC.   ( By
the way - I saw some PLS/PLC code written for linux.  I just can't remember
where.  Univerity of Berlin ?  - I think it was a both simulation and a front
end writer )

I really liked the paper that Fred made on the "Shared memory" - with examples.
I would love something similear in NML, RCS.   One thing I don't like, - is
that it turned out to be very difficult to make the Java stuff run, for code
design.  Would this be possible to do in Tcl/Tk ?  Or have some better startup
info - maybe like the "Shared memory"  paper above.  My appologies, if there
is new things added - because it is some time since I looked into it.  

I know I have offended some with my linux speaches,  but I think this should be
number one platform to focus on.  I came across something - a project done by
UN. They focus on a lot of programs to help underdeveloped countries, and it
looks like they work close with KDE.  And they do a development work,  that
will run in KDE like environment, also on Win boxes,  to make everything
platform independent.  Besides,  Cygnus is now part of RH, and there is also
some international PLC consortium, that seems to go much in favor of open
source.  Linux seems to be a good candidate,  in more and more areas.
( I do say all kind of crap - so don't flame me :) 
The thing is just that I have the impression that a lot of PLC related stuff is
on the move to linux,  so .. it would be nice to have all of EMC in the same
platform.     

( Am I just silly here ? Out of context ? )
  
//ARNE