First Q: Should NoseyNick try running IRLPvCON?

[NoseyNick]

irlp-web-console is intended to be a brand new, "greenfield", "from scratch" writing of a brand new IRLP web console. It is absolutely not supposed to be a direct copy of IRLPvCON, nor is it going to borrow a single line of code.

Sometimes in these circumstances it's "legally cleaner" if the author has never run the thing that they are about to imitate.

So the real Q, I guess... Do you think it would be better for me, @NoseyNick, to try IRLPvCON on my club's IRLP node, to "check out the competition", get an idea of what someone else's IRLP web console can do, or would it be better to definitely not run it, in order to remove any "conflict of interest" and make it clear this is absolutely definitely not a direct copy of any/all of IRLPvCON?

"Discuss" here.

[irlpvcon]

Hi Nick, this is Klaus ve3kr.

I would test out the existing irlpvcon software as there are only so many useful features that can be implemented in an echoirlp node so they would certainly in the end have a similar function but possibly do the function in a different way. This also would show you how not to do a feature as to not to be implemented identically by accident.

[trypma]

Unless there is an active campaign by the current copyright holder to pursue those copying the software (pretty unlikely because he is a SK), I think it would be perfectly safe to review current capabilities before implementing something new :-)

Ted VE3TRQ

[NoseyNick]

I hope Klaus @irlpvcon don't mind if I also (ooh the irony!) copy his personal email here "for the record / for the group":

I am not a programmer but have been running echoIRLP nodes since 2001 so I am capable of navigating the nodes using cmd line. I ran across the irlpvcon software by accident 2 years ago and since have installed it one numerous nodes for easy control of a node when I don't have a pc handy or for control ops that should not have root access to a node and cannot navigate the system. IRLPvCon allows they to drop calls and by a click of the mouse dial a present node or code to either control the irlp or echolink node or to read the log file without being able to do any damage to the system.

I would suggest you install irlpvcon on a node of yours to see the features and then go ahead to plan your own software of what you would like to include in it. It will give you a head start in what is useful to a control op of a repeater and node system.

I used the link below to install IRLPvCon in my nodes but that was a year ago so I hope this link is still good. Give it a try and let me know what you think. I can help you test what you build if you need help in that department but like I said I am not a programmer so I would be useless there to you. I have several repeaters in Ont.

[some more sensitive info redacted]
Installing IRLPvCON – K-Link Repeater Network

[NoseyNick]

BTW, non-programmers absolutely welcome, not just in the later "testing" phases, but I hope you can also contribute ideas for most important feature set over at: #3
... perhaps the license question over at #5
... and certainly other design / documentation pieces as they come up.
All input of any kind (not just code) welcome!

[NoseyNick]

Hey Ted, good to see you here! ... And perfectly fair point! 😀 I mean in theory his "estate" could still come after me, but neither he, nor I, are massive rich commercial enterprises, so my guess is "not worth pursuing", especially as I'm doing this with all due respect and appreciation of prior work and trying hard not to "tread on any toes".

I'll probably at least read his manual, may even give it a try in a somewhat "clean-room" setup, but will first give a bit of time for this discussion to work its course.