GPS

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 11:20:33 -0500, Ron Hunter
wrote:

Mxsmanic wrote:

Ron Hunter writes:


I doubt it, but then I suspect I am not the ONLY one who feels this way.
I have heard others express the same opinion.


You are probably a minority of total users. Besides, no other interface
is so universal.

Sigh.

I give up. Now I know why so many people don't even know what a GPS is.


Do you know why so few can't appreciate a good, working
interface?

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 11:19:40 -0500, Ron Hunter
wrote:

Mxsmanic wrote:

Ron Hunter writes:


It ain't the money, it's the principle. Some of us still have principle.


Some of us have learned not to fix things that aren't broken.


Enjoy the 1900's. I live in the the 21st century.

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 11:19:40 -0500, Ron Hunter
wrote:

Mxsmanic wrote:

Ron Hunter writes:


It ain't the money, it's the principle. Some of us still have principle.


Some of us have learned not to fix things that aren't broken.


Enjoy the 1900's. I live in the the 21st century.

When your GPS batteries fail, just holler -- I'll send you my
sextant. Never had a power failure on it.

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 11:19:40 -0500, Ron Hunter
wrote:

Mxsmanic wrote:

Ron Hunter writes:


It ain't the money, it's the principle. Some of us still have principle.


Some of us have learned not to fix things that aren't broken.


Enjoy the 1900's. I live in the the 21st century.

When your GPS batteries fail, just holler -- I'll send you my
sextant. Never had a power failure on it.

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 11:11:54 -0500, Ron Hunter
wrote:

Prometheus wrote:

In article , Ron Hunter
writes

Did I suggest they should remove the serial interface? I suggest that
if a GPS manufacturer wants me to connect my computer to the GPS and
transfer megabytes of information, then 115kbps isn't going to hack
it, even if I didn't mind shutting the computer down to connect, and
then disconnect the GPS (which I DO mind)


I can understand the reluctance to use such a low speed connection for
large amounts of data, but since changing the data would be infrequent I
do not see at as a major disincentive. AS for switching the computer off
to connect a serial device, WHY? I regularly connect and disconnect
serial devices without switching anything off to do so, maybe it was
important in the old days but modern systems are for more resilient.

It's your computer, and your peripheral. Not on mine, thanks.

You're welcome.

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 11:11:54 -0500, Ron Hunter
wrote:

Prometheus wrote:

In article , Ron Hunter
writes

Did I suggest they should remove the serial interface? I suggest that
if a GPS manufacturer wants me to connect my computer to the GPS and
transfer megabytes of information, then 115kbps isn't going to hack
it, even if I didn't mind shutting the computer down to connect, and
then disconnect the GPS (which I DO mind)


I can understand the reluctance to use such a low speed connection for
large amounts of data, but since changing the data would be infrequent I
do not see at as a major disincentive. AS for switching the computer off
to connect a serial device, WHY? I regularly connect and disconnect
serial devices without switching anything off to do so, maybe it was
important in the old days but modern systems are for more resilient.

It's your computer, and your peripheral. Not on mine, thanks.

You're welcome.

Yup - serial ports tend to be the industry standard for pro use of these
devices

Arty

"Ron Hunter" wrote in message
...
Michael Meissner wrote:
"Arty Facting" writes:


Now a combo GPS & camera? Sheesh - that is a thought!


Get yourself a Nikon D100 or D1x. These camera have a serial port that
it
automatically reads from a GPS and embeds the information directly into
the
EXIF information. The California coastline project
(http://www.californiacoastline.org/) used it to record the entire
California
coastline, keeping track of longitude, latitude, and altitude.


A serial port still? Sigh.
This GPS owner will NOT buy another one until they abandon this artifact
of a previous century!

Yup - serial ports tend to be the industry standard for pro use of these
devices

Arty

"Ron Hunter" wrote in message
...
Michael Meissner wrote:
"Arty Facting" writes:


Now a combo GPS & camera? Sheesh - that is a thought!


Get yourself a Nikon D100 or D1x. These camera have a serial port that
it
automatically reads from a GPS and embeds the information directly into
the
EXIF information. The California coastline project
(http://www.californiacoastline.org/) used it to record the entire
California
coastline, keeping track of longitude, latitude, and altitude.


A serial port still? Sigh.
This GPS owner will NOT buy another one until they abandon this artifact
of a previous century!

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 14:06:13 -0500, Ron Hunter
wrote:

Prometheus wrote:

In article , Ron Hunter
writes

Prometheus wrote:

In article , Ron Hunter
writes

Did I suggest they should remove the serial interface? I suggest
that if a GPS manufacturer wants me to connect my computer to the
GPS and transfer megabytes of information, then 115kbps isn't going
to hack it, even if I didn't mind shutting the computer down to
connect, and then disconnect the GPS (which I DO mind)

I can understand the reluctance to use such a low speed connection
for large amounts of data, but since changing the data would be
infrequent I do not see at as a major disincentive. AS for switching
the computer off to connect a serial device, WHY? I regularly
connect and disconnect serial devices without switching anything off
to do so, maybe it was important in the old days but modern systems
are for more resilient.


It's your computer, and your peripheral. Not on mine, thanks.


So you do so out of superstition and not because it is necessary, how
quaint (or rather foolish). Actually, very foolish, imagine waiting for
a system to power down and reboot every time you change a connection;
are you going to do the same with USB?

Do you imagine that the electronics behind a USB port is magically
different to a serial port!

Let me spell it for you -

I
T

I
S

N
O
T

N
E
C
E
S
S
A
R
Y
,

serial devices are designed to be hot swapped.

Different? YES, the plug is designed so that contact is made in the
proper order. Not true for RS232. Also, the voltages are quite
different. Perhaps if you knew more, and had 40 years experience in the
field of computers you would understand. Just because you have been
lucky for a while doesn't make what you are doing wise.


OK, now you're telling me that _my_ 40 years experience in the
field of computers was nothing but an extended series of lucky breaks?

The only issue I've ever had with hot-swapping serial devices
was when I've had to clue in the driver for a PDA to get it to release
the port for other use.

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 14:06:13 -0500, Ron Hunter
wrote:

Prometheus wrote:

In article , Ron Hunter
writes

Prometheus wrote:

In article , Ron Hunter
writes

Did I suggest they should remove the serial interface? I suggest
that if a GPS manufacturer wants me to connect my computer to the
GPS and transfer megabytes of information, then 115kbps isn't going
to hack it, even if I didn't mind shutting the computer down to
connect, and then disconnect the GPS (which I DO mind)

I can understand the reluctance to use such a low speed connection
for large amounts of data, but since changing the data would be
infrequent I do not see at as a major disincentive. AS for switching
the computer off to connect a serial device, WHY? I regularly
connect and disconnect serial devices without switching anything off
to do so, maybe it was important in the old days but modern systems
are for more resilient.


It's your computer, and your peripheral. Not on mine, thanks.


So you do so out of superstition and not because it is necessary, how
quaint (or rather foolish). Actually, very foolish, imagine waiting for
a system to power down and reboot every time you change a connection;
are you going to do the same with USB?

Do you imagine that the electronics behind a USB port is magically
different to a serial port!

Let me spell it for you -

I
T

I
S

N
O
T

N
E
C
E
S
S
A
R
Y
,

serial devices are designed to be hot swapped.

Different? YES, the plug is designed so that contact is made in the
proper order. Not true for RS232. Also, the voltages are quite
different. Perhaps if you knew more, and had 40 years experience in the
field of computers you would understand. Just because you have been
lucky for a while doesn't make what you are doing wise.


OK, now you're telling me that _my_ 40 years experience in the
field of computers was nothing but an extended series of lucky breaks?

The only issue I've ever had with hot-swapping serial devices
was when I've had to clue in the driver for a PDA to get it to release
the port for other use.