Software updates ETAs

James Whiteway

My boss would not agree. Being on time is everything in the trucking industry. Creativity is doing it quickly and safely.

Paul M

No deadlines is fertilizer to project creep.   There are proper times to establish deadlines for any project and a good manager understand the needs of the business versus the state of the project.   Even though I agree with a few points my overall opinion of the article is not fit for dissemination on a public forum.

Dan -- KC4GO

Some might call letting the schedule drive delivery "Rush to Failure" I saw a lot of this in my  Cellular engineering time. Were the big company I worked for allowed the project managers decide/demand that a technology  be deploy (that they didn't understand) or an installation be on time (even still underwater from a Hurricane).  Then pay more money to fix it  along with the bad publicity and cost to resolve/repair more than it would have been if given the time to do it right the first time. 

Richard McClelland, AA5S

I've seen the effect that deadlines have in stifling creativity by sitting next to my fifth grade son as he was trying to code a 'cat detector' for a class project.  He was merrily making good progress until the deadline loomed then he started making mistakes and became very frustrated.  I imagine that holds for Flex developers, too.  By the way, I won't ask for a cat detector be added to Smart SDR as a new feature request.

Harold Rosee

Dan,

You mention a schedule. Do you know of a schedule for the next release of software that the rest of us don't know?  I think the point here is that there is no schedule.

David Decoons, wo2x

The fact is Flex has decided to not adhere to a hard schedule but rather ensure the software release is as good as possible "out of the box" for the end user. People might not like the delays but as others have stated I would rather have a delay and done right than have problems from the start.

Dave wo2x

KS0CW

x2

EA4GLI

They don't need to be mutually exclusive.

Harold Rosee

David,

Thanks for the clarification but there has to be a schedule before you can not adhere to a schedule.  Right?  Delays are ok but a delay from what schedule?

I am not trying to be a trouble maker but before you make what you think is a supportive comment for FRS think about what you are posting.

The fact remains that there is no schedule therefore there has not been any delays or hard schedules to adhere to.  

In all seriousness, any reasonable person would have expected a release, even a small one, before now.   Some of us are just saying to FRS we have some hobby money to spend and they just need to help us in our quest.  That's all.  Plain and simple.

Harold 

Richard McClelland, AA5S

How many other manufacturers (other than the one in California) hold such a public forum?  Maybe the Japanese manufacturers are quite wise after all, seeing that they don't have to spend their efforts debating on public forums about when they are going to release what.

David Decoons, wo2x

Harold I am not going to get into a dragged out debate with you. You do not know if there is a schedule. I do not know if there is a schedule. Only FRS knows. It would make sense they would have an internal roadmap and expected delivery for those items. The policy is that information is not going to be made public. Once Flex is feature locked on a release and they are very close to release those features are made public. The fact is some of the development and implementation of new features is difficult to pin down to exact dates. Flex has decided to hold releases until they are confident there are no issues. Dave wo2x

Richard McClelland, AA5S

Another point, something tells me that Tim's talents could be much better utilized by him contributing to the optimization of the SmartSDR user interface rather than moderating this forum.  Maybe we should all agree that, in the interest of facilitating progress as quickly as possible, we shut this forum down and turn Tim loose on things that more productively contribute to the Flex user experience?

[Deleted User]

Maybe Tim and Flex feel he is happy where he is. Maybe he already does

Richard McClelland, AA5S

Maybe he's sick of the incessant complaining about schedules not being met.

[Deleted User]

Maybe you should stop analyzing Tim

Mark K1LSB

Harold,

You say, "there has to be a schedule before you can not adhere to a schedule...there is no schedule therefore there has not been any delays...".

That argument is specious.  There can be delays without any need for a schedule.

Here's an example:  I get an urge to design, build and sell a product.  I know I have the expertise to accomplish the design and build of the product, I'm just not a good estimator of time.  That's alright with me, though, because I don't really have any need to stick to any particular time line.  I have complete confidence my product will eventually get finished and sold, but not a second before it's ready.  I'm more concerned about doing a quality job than I am about any particular time line, so I don't even keep too much track of how long the project is taking me.  I'm satisfied with the rate of progress after I complete each next task.  Once in awhile I do run into some sort of stumbling block that isn't a serious problem, but it does cause a delay in the forward progress.  It could be something as simple as a supplier not getting a shipment of an item when his source told him it would arrive.  So I've experienced a delay in the build of my project.  I don't have any particular schedule I'm following, but I've encountered a delay nevertheless in the progress (and completion) of my project.

So I don't have a schedule, but I can still have a delay.

See how that works?

Any simpleton can see that what you're really trying to do is to strong-arm FRS into posting some kind of timeline update again so you can then wail on them again if they don't adhere to it.  Apparently you don't give them credit for having learned not to do that again, in light of what they've been enduring from you and others because of timeline projections they've already made that didn't pan out for whatever reason.

I, for one, hope FRS doesn't post any more updates until the day the first shipment leaves the factory.  They don't need any more headache from any more complainers.

EA4GLI

I really hope the hardware suppliers of FRS are not reading this forum. As it seems that anyone that has a delay on a delivery date just needs to say "they are purposely delaying because they are making sure the final product is the best it can be and nothing less.... " furthermore, "they will not provide further information as to when FRS should expect to receive the hardware because they do not appreciate complainers and are getting a headache". I am sure FRS should be OK with that practice from their suppliers... otherwise, asking them to adhere to a schedule and to be on-time would be a double standard.... wouldn't it?

I don't need a reply to my comment I just think that all side should take a step back and try to see things from each others perspective. It is not unreasonable for prospective recipients of the 6400 and 6600 series to be anxious when they were led to believe their gear would be ready last summer. And it is not unreasonable that FRS is delaying the delivering because they just can't deliver now, regardless of how much better for them as a company would be to have the radios already delivered.

It is what it is. 

Harold Rosee

Mark,

I am glad you are ok with not being ok.

I am doing nothing but giving my opinion.  Sorry it upsets you so much.

I'll let your post stand for itself.  It's just full of more excuses for not delivering.

Harold

Tim - W4TME

I don't need a reply to my comment I just think that all side should take a step back and try to see things from each others perspective. It is not unreasonable for prospective recipients of the 6400 and 6600 series to be anxious when they were led to believe their gear would be ready last summer. And it is not unreasonable that FRS is delaying the delivering because they just can't deliver now, regardless of how much better for them as a company would be to have the radios already delivered.

Thank you, Salvador.

And on that note, I believe that this question post has been answered and the opportunity given for those to express their opinions.  In addition, many of the concerns brought up here were answered recently in another post by Gerald.  Therefore, in the interest of my well being, as it was suggested above, I am closing this post to focus on my deliverables required to get SmartSDR v2.1 completed and the new radio shipping.  ;-)

73