If I understand correctly, I will have to install the worlds worst operating system on my computer in order to update the data base on my scanner? Who's brilliant idea was that? The other half of the world uses LINUX operating systems. I would rather return the scanner and get my money back than install a piece of crap like microsoft on my computer. If I had known this before I bought the unit I would have spent my money on something else. Producing a product that can only be used with microsoft is the biggest mistake a business can do. Unless of course your one of those companies like Norton or McAfee that makes millions of $ trying to fix microsofts crappy product. Is there a "work around"?
MS Windows requirement rant Was: Updating database
- Thread starter Liviticus
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dougjgray
Member
You did understand correctly. You could maybe return it but I believe whistler needs Windows as well
Think of it this way.
A scanner is a CONSUMER product.
So is Windows.
LUNUX is a professional product.
Pay and join RR (here). The data is all there - same data that Uniden uses - (they pull it every Monday).
If you are such a geek, you will figure out how to get it onto the scanner. The commands are public domain.
A scanner is a CONSUMER product.
So is Windows.
LUNUX is a professional product.
Pay and join RR (here). The data is all there - same data that Uniden uses - (they pull it every Monday).
If you are such a geek, you will figure out how to get it onto the scanner. The commands are public domain.
You'd spend that much money on a product without doing any research on what was required to use it? And, what else would you buy? Not another scanner since they all use windows based programming/database import. You can manually program the scanner and pull the database updates off RR, you do not need to use programming software. Or perhaps you can write the first Linux program and become rich from all the fans of that OS.
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The OP is slightly off base with his OS usage claims,
Quote:
From:
en.wikipedia.org
Back when Uniden released the XT series scanners, they offered no software of any kind for them, and UPMan (Uniden Product Manager) explained why other OS platforms were not supported..... here:
forums.radioreference.com
Quote:
From:
Usage share of operating systems - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Back when Uniden released the XT series scanners, they offered no software of any kind for them, and UPMan (Uniden Product Manager) explained why other OS platforms were not supported..... here:
Uniden - I'm begging for Mac software
Dear UpMan and everyone at Uniden, Thank you for your great products. I have enjoyed Uniden scanners my entire life. I got hooked listening to my grandfather's crystal controlled model as a kid. (It still works!) In the 90's I picked up a used 210XLT and have programmed it each time I've moved...
Two words:
"Caveat Emptor"
Two more words:
"Due diligence"
"Caveat Emptor"
Two more words:
"Due diligence"
highwayman1224
Member
I love people who spend lots of money on something & then cry about it because they don't look at things before they buy it...
I was going to PM him, since he is a self proclaimed "newbie" and let him know he was 'kicking the hornet's nest' so to speak.
(Here is a great place to ask for advice and exchange info - not a good place to be an Adam Henry...)
But, I figured he'd learn this soon enough...
(Here is a great place to ask for advice and exchange info - not a good place to be an Adam Henry...)
But, I figured he'd learn this soon enough...
bberns22
Member
As does the Unication G series...
I haven't had any real software/OS issues with Windows since 7. I skipped all the way to 10 and other than a couple of old things that don't want to quite work right on my new laptop, I have no reason to hate MS stuff. Now hardware issues are another matter. My previous 2 laptops both had some oddball problems, my Dell Inspiron had very strange USB port issues along with running so insanely hot I had to run a cooler just to keep my hand from being cooked by the exhaust air. The one after that had a bad solder joint or a cracked case that caused the display to flicker and it was going to cost too much to repair it, so I just bought a new one, from XoticPC, a Sager/Cleevo with a Nvidia 2070 card and an OLED display, and it's very cool running and has been flawless so far. For Sentinel, you can buy an old laptop for $50-75 and it will work great, and you won't have to worry about contamination of your main PC with that nasty MS stuff. I have Sentinel on a bunch of PCs, from my new ones, all the way down to a laptop I bought from a pile of Dells at some computer store in KY for $50 a couple years ago. It's actually not a bad PC, and I bought a second, better one for $100 to give to my now EXGF's grandson, who was like 6 back then. To say it was a hit was not even close. He still has it and it still works perfectly, along with the new one grandma got him last June. A definite move up.
Indeed. The software I write is Windows based yet I have users on Linux and MAC who understand and accept that not everyone, every program or every bit of kit is Linux or MAC OS compatible.
Another puzzle/question is why Android was not the basis of the OP's post instead of Linux. I get more enquiries about Android support than I ever do about Linux.
lwvmobile
DSD-FME
Okay, who made an ALT just to do a Windows rant? Hey, I'm a big Linux aficionado personally, but even I know the other half of the world doesn't use Linux. Sure, server backends use it, a good chunk of the WWW runs on Linux or BSD servers, but in the home and business markets, the percentage of desktop users is 1% or less.
Just go ahead and do yourself a favor, and install Windows 7 in VirtualBox and call it a day.
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Edit: Spelling Errors
Running the software on Wine (not his whine) is often a failure due to the issues with usb ports and how each operating systems handles them. Maybe he should look at linuxfx. I have not tried the compatibility yet, but it runs great on my Pi 4 with 4 GB ram.
lwvmobile
DSD-FME
I haven't heard of linuxfx until you mentioned it, so I took a look. Not quite sure what technologies they are using altogether, but it looks like the compatibility they boast is based on Wine as the link on their website takes you straight to the WineHQ database. I would download it and start it up in a VM, but looks like they want $15 minimum donation to download, which is a reasonable price and in the future I might break down and do it if it eats at the back of my mind for long enough. Perhaps in the future, Steam/Proton/Gabe will get Wine up to using hardware, they've already helped out the Wine project immensely with cash and developers so I'm hoping in the future, there will be some implementation for controlling USB devices and other hardware directly.
Personally though, when I need actual Windows to do something very specific with a USB device, I just go to a Windows 7 or Windows 10 VM.
It is a free download, and being that I like to try new ideas, I am surprised at the performance and the lack of a lawsuit. My understanding is that one of the goals is better Windows program compatibility, and Wine is just a starting point.For low cost browsing and light use, it works well. Youtube video performance is equal to my i5 8 gig computer. I also likie Win 7, but my major radio hotspot program no longer works on 7, and the linux version is reported to be hard to get set up.
I run various Debian distros of Linux natively on several machines I own. I cloned the same copy of Windows via vmware converter containing all of my programming software. I use Virtualbox to run my Windows VMs. Now I can't speak for all radios but I've never had an issue programming any of mine via this method.
WINE isn't always the best at running Windows radio apps. Lots of crashes
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lwvmobile
DSD-FME
Yeah, I feel like over the past however many years, that news is going around. Everything from trimming back on the user interface, getting rid of the tiles in the start menu, revamping the update system (which now somehow requires some ridiculous 7GB reserved space (Full LM base install size is around 8GB for context), Windows Dual Screen systems, etc etc. Considering however that they have realized that they have a monstrocity on their hands, and have taken measures such as forking Chromium to become the New Edge browser to making Linux versions of Visual Basic and so on, I do wonder if part of their plan is to try to build a *Nix version of Windows in the future. Perhaps, keep a legacy version for current software, and make a new version, much like Windows NT did way back when, breaking from the DOS based versions of old. Even Apple is jumping to a new version of sorts now that they are using their A series ARM processors in MacBooks and going away from x86.
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