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Ham and Software - Communities of Creativity?
lgreco asks: "I've been thinking about the similarities between the community of early ham radio operators and software developers. Both communities produced a lot of useful technologies that found applications beyond the scope of a 'just a hobby'.
Ham radio operators built their own equipment and experimented with modulation and propagation techniques. The results of their efforts today are used in a variety of radio communication applications, from cell phones to marine radios.
Similarly, hackers developed concepts of computing that are now universally accepted tools of productivity. Both communities share an enthusiasm for technical creativity and up until recently there was even some overlap between the two groups. Are there any interesting stories about the creativity of either groups (that relate to the other group perhaps) that should be recorded and documented?"
Hrm... how about that both technologies started as chic geek projects and are now exploited by corporate interests?
the one desperate hope i bear is that software will not go the way of ham radio. ham radio pioneered radio, but ultimately it was the corporations that had to advance the art. they were the only ones who could sink the required technology and capital into the field. (generall) ham radio has been relegated back to a enthusiast hobby as die hard development has faded off.
i'm not sure why i stick to this hope so badly, but i hope there's another way for software. fundamentally, software is all about building blocks, using the existing to build more. for this reason, its crucial that there be open-ness of software.
software at least stands a chance. it doesnt require adv. fabrication, expensive test equipment and doesnt cause anything other than your own computer to break.
and to all the hardcore ham people still out there, keep kickin baby! or something.
Myren
Why is that whole article written in the past tense?
Is not what these people did, how much they researched, learned, designed,etc..
It's the simple fact that they SHARED what they knew with the world.
that is how things like Packet Radio, APRS, antenna designs, etc become more refined and wide spread use.
Most of what is in Ham Radio and software WOULD NOT EXIST if people were selfsih and kept their discoveries and designs to themselves.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
When I interview I usually ask a C question about a function referencing a variable assigned in a higher stack frame, now freed. But that's more to see if they are a) interested in "how things really work", b) whether they've ever thought about it, c) how quick they can catch onto stuff etc., rather than any practical direct requirement for the job.
Software will become a commodity too. As a (really) smart co-worker of mine said some time ago: "Our job will have the status of TV Repairman in 25 years time".
And you want to understand where the creative forces and the appeal to young people has gone out of ham radio?
I would also like to mention that even ten years ago there weren't nearly so many legal obsticles to software development. Certainly 30 years ago. There has been some recent legislation that has made software development a profession that almost needs a 1:1 ratio of software developers to lawyers, if not more lawyers than programmers. I don't think it is even possible now to write a serious application (> approx. 10,000 lines of code) without having violated some patent of some sort. And the larger and more versitile the software becomes, the more likly you will have at least one or more companies trying to stop you from distributing that software.
Also, the #1 thing that a computer programmer has to hold up for "certification": A B.S. (or B.A.) in Computer Science or similar specality. To be honest that is much harder to get than a Technician license from the FCC. While it is in theory possible to be a professional software developer without a formal degree, it is quite difficult and most companies won't hire you, even with years of experience. If instead you are working in another industry and just "dabbling" in computers, you really won't be able to compete with the professionals in terms of keeping up with trends in the computer industry or being exposed to a multiple number of coding techniques. Even many of the "Open Source" software projects have at least one full-time programmer doing some development on it, if they have become somewhat useful.
Also, besides the B.S. degree, if a 16 year old wants to get a personal computer and hack up a boot loader, write his very own operating system, and write a compiler for that OS, I say more power to them. I also hope they get a full tuition paid scholarship to just about any college or university that they care to attend.
"The Hams required mastery of Morse code long after there was no real use for it in order to get an operator's broadcast license"
It's not a Broadcast license. hams are not broadcasters. That's ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox etc., for the folks in America, BBC for the Brits, CBC, CTV etc for Canadians. Hams transmit and receive signals between stations, they do not "Broadcast" for the enjoyment of a "broad" audiance. Hence the term broadcast. It's funny to see both Broadcasters and Hams misunderstand the term "Broadcast" and they think it is synonomous with transmit. It is not!
The Hams themselves did not require the Morse Code, though some were happy to see it stay, It was International and National Regulations that kept Morse Code as a requirement. Since the recent decision to drop this as an International requirement for High Frequency (Short wave) privilages, Nations have been dropping the requirement world wide, Canada and the United States have yet to do so but it may be in the works. It has not been required for VHF and higher frequencies internationaly for many decades and at least 14 years here in Canada. Not all of ham radio is talking around the world on HF and in fact short distance VHF/UHF/SHF/EHF operation for voice and data are far more common for various reasons.