Re: PC to RS485 bridge

["Frank Mc Alinden" <fmcalind@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Neil
Are you going to progress with the xPL-RS485 Gateway , or is it
on hold until we can get someone to do the app ???
Thanks
Frank


----- Original Message -----
From: "Neil Wrightson" <neilw@xxxxxxx>
To: <ukha_xpl@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 8:18 AM
Subject: RE: [ukha_xpl] PC to RS485 bridge


>
> Gerry,
>
> If Java is required, then you can leave me out of the equation. I have
> absolutely no knowledge of Java at all.
> But, Having a piece of software that supports one platform is better
than
> having nothing at all!
>
> Note - I have not seen anybody put up their hand for the PC interface
yet.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Neil Wrightson.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gerry Duprey [mailto:gerry@xxxxxxx]
> Sent: Friday, 11 February 2005 6:06 AM
> To: ukha_xpl@xxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [ukha_xpl] PC to RS485 bridge
>
>
>
> Howdy,
>
> > In what regard are you referring to with cross platform? I
program in
> Delphi
>
> In the sense that, at a minimum, the source code can be easily copied
to
an
> alternate platform and recompiled or ideal, that the
"binary"/compiled
form
> can run on multiple platforms.
>
> I also use Delphi and have developed a few apps in Kylix (Delphi for
Linux).
> While I like certain aspects, it leaves Mac users out in the cold as
well
as
> solaris users and others.
>
> There are Java and perl frameworks (I think python too) that would be
able
> to
> run on many platforms.  There are also C based ones that could be
ported
> (with
> a slight bit or work) to multiple platforms (ones not dependent on
.net or
> windows, but using posix interfaces).
>
> My concern is this -- an automation protocol as powerful as xPL needs
to
be
> widely available for many different platforms in order to be embraced
by
the
> embedded device market on any sort of scale.  While Windows lock-in
(or
any
> platform lockin) may be OK in a commercial software world, for
embedded
> control, it's much more limiting.
>
> Worse, because something written only for a specific platform may have
a
> general audience (hubs, CM12 interface, Homevision, etc), you'll often
see
> multiple, slightly incompatible incarnations of the same tool for each
> platforms.  As a result, vendors cannot depend on a given service
working
> with
> their product because depending on the target client platform, the
> protocol/behavior/etc of the software may vary enough to break it.
>
> Finally, there is so much effort poured into some of these great xPL
apps
> that
> it really bums me out to see it only available for a single platform. 
If
> another platform is needed, all that previously spent talent and time
is
for
> naught (not always, but still).
>
> The xPL protocol is already very platform independent and is even
> multi-media
> (networking, serial, etc) friendly/agnostic.  But the software that
drives
> this is, primarily, bound to a single platform (windows/.net).
>
> I do realize somethings are so highly platform dependent that using a
> platform
> specific language is necessary and makes sense (something that works
with
> Windows TAPI stuff isn't likely to have much value on a Mac OSX system
even
> if
> the language was portable).  But many things, like a RS485
> gateway/interface,
> really doesn't depend on any platform specifics (beyond serial ports,
which
> are generic enough and abstracted enough to be safely programmed for
in a
> general, platform independent way).  Doing these once, in a platform
> independent way that allows the same code to be used in many different
> deployment environments would be a huge boost/benefit to the xPL
community.
>
> About 20% of the xPL related development I do is specifically for
Windows
> (where I use Delphi) and the rest runs on windows, linux, macOSX,
solaris
> and
> even a true64 system.  Except for that 20%, the rest all runs the same
code
> (compiled code, even -- Java in my case) and it's all nice and
consistent.
> Being able to code once and let the particular clients implementation
need
> dictate the hardware (vs my software doing it or requiring custom
software)
> is
> immensely powerful.
>
> I hope this does not come across as Windows bashing or Java advocacy
as I
> don't mean either.  Windows does a fine job, Java does a fine job. 
Just
> really "pushing" the idea of, when possible, considering a
way to allow
your
> work to benefit as wide an audience as possible and to help xPL become
so
> pervasive it's as attractive as possible to new device developers.
>
> > Does anybody know what Delphi comm drivers are available for
Linux?
>
> AsyncPro CLX is supposed to linux -- check into it here
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/tpaproclx/
> <http://sourceforge.net/projects/tpaproclx/>
>
> Gerry
>
> --
> Gerry Duprey
> Ann Arbor, MI 48103
> http://www.cdp1802.org <http://www.cdp1802.org>
>
>
> xPL Links: http://www.xplproject.org.uk <http://www.xplproject.org.uk>
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