Being disabled and terminally ill with a mound of bills, I cannot swing $250 (or even $100 as far as that goes) to purchase SmartSDR v2.0.17 and the corresponding iOS app although the two would definitely be nice for times when I am laid up in the hospital. Going forward however, I have a some questions and I doubt if I am alone with this thinking.
Let's say down the road v2.2.75 is released at little ($25) to no cost for the revision. Let's say it adds some minor functionality like being able to monitor the PA temperature and a few other internal parameters on the front panel display by using the front panel 4-way rocker switch. Would that version be able to be installed on the last free version before v2.0.17, i.e. v1.10.16, if NO OTHER COST VERSIONS are installed (such as v2.0.17)?
Let's also say that v3.0.73 and v3.3.88 are released along the way that have both a significant functionality addition and tweak some parameters that enhance noise reduction again like we have had in earlier no-cost releases. But this time v3.0.73 and v3.3.88 cost $100 apiece. I have been advised to NOT install v2.0.17 since I cannot afford the upgrade cost. Would I also be advised to NOT install these versions even though they had another tweak to the noise reduction functionality that was a no-cost upgrade before? I ask this in view of the way Ham Radio Deluxe issues their software upgrades.
In Ham Radio Deluxe, even though the 1-year maintenance fee is $50 that we pay when out of warranty for a software upgrade if we desire the features being added, we are told to ALWAYS install new software revisions even if we are not purchasing the maintenance extension. This is because tweaks and bug fixes may have been done in the code that will be implemented at no-cost regardless of whether or not one pays the $50 to extend the 1-year maintenance window. Note that if one does pay to extend the 1-year maintenance window, then the functionality of the software upgrade that was NOT no-cost becomes active. Essentially, one does not have to pay the $50 fee to extend the maintenance window unless they want unlimited technical support for the coming year and/or they wish to have new functionality of a software upgrade become active. This philosophy apparently works well for Ham Radio Deluxe, LLC.
Please try to be as specific as possible while looking into the future to answer my two concerns. As always, thank you greatly for your time and assistance.
73, Rev. David E. Hamm, K4EET
Let's say down the road v2.2.75 is released at little ($25) to no cost for the revision. Let's say it adds some minor functionality like being able to monitor the PA temperature and a few other internal parameters on the front panel display by using the front panel 4-way rocker switch. Would that version be able to be installed on the last free version before v2.0.17, i.e. v1.10.16, if NO OTHER COST VERSIONS are installed (such as v2.0.17)?
Let's also say that v3.0.73 and v3.3.88 are released along the way that have both a significant functionality addition and tweak some parameters that enhance noise reduction again like we have had in earlier no-cost releases. But this time v3.0.73 and v3.3.88 cost $100 apiece. I have been advised to NOT install v2.0.17 since I cannot afford the upgrade cost. Would I also be advised to NOT install these versions even though they had another tweak to the noise reduction functionality that was a no-cost upgrade before? I ask this in view of the way Ham Radio Deluxe issues their software upgrades.
In Ham Radio Deluxe, even though the 1-year maintenance fee is $50 that we pay when out of warranty for a software upgrade if we desire the features being added, we are told to ALWAYS install new software revisions even if we are not purchasing the maintenance extension. This is because tweaks and bug fixes may have been done in the code that will be implemented at no-cost regardless of whether or not one pays the $50 to extend the 1-year maintenance window. Note that if one does pay to extend the 1-year maintenance window, then the functionality of the software upgrade that was NOT no-cost becomes active. Essentially, one does not have to pay the $50 fee to extend the maintenance window unless they want unlimited technical support for the coming year and/or they wish to have new functionality of a software upgrade become active. This philosophy apparently works well for Ham Radio Deluxe, LLC.
Please try to be as specific as possible while looking into the future to answer my two concerns. As always, thank you greatly for your time and assistance.
73, Rev. David E. Hamm, K4EET