10/04/2005
Sneak preview
After 5 years of tlf experience it is time to optimize the UI (User Interface). Not because the tlf UI is not good. It is just because there is room for improvement for everything... And because I have reduced the possible roadmaps for tlf to 2 or 3 (instead of 14), and they are all about disconnecting the guts from the looks, that time is now.
The idea is to provide an interface for several UI's so it is possible to run tlf also on 'other devices' like organizers, handies and tablets (agree, that will probably take some time), and even an IE (Yuchhchhcc..) browser. Not with the same functionality of course, e.g. when you walk in the woods and you just want to log a qso you don't need the networking facility (?? Bet you want it as soon as the rf network provides it ?? Oh well...). For this I now use my Palm, but there are also iPAQ's and Zauruses which could run tlf if it were properly designed.
What about the ncurses (Text) interface? I think there is still enough reason to keep it. I just have to look at the array of 486's in the shack who wait for duty in a next M/M operation...
Do we need a GUI? I think so. N1MM is quickly becoming the new standard for hf contest programs. And that's what tlf is being compared with. In my opinion the success of N1MM is based on the fact that it is a complete, useable program for contesting and it runs on 85% of the laptops. I have quite some experience with N1MM (ARRL DX at PI4TUE and CQWW-CW at CT9L), and I know what I don't like...
Here is a sneak preview of the first ideas. Note that you don't need a mouse to operate it. All you use is the CALL INPUT FIELD and the EXCHANGE FIELD. The info displays are arranged according to ergonomical principles, with minimum necessity for eye movement.
Another important design decision is to leave log printing, qsl label printing, qso archiving etc. to Xlog. In other words, do only what's necessary for contesting and try to prevent double work. The 'revamping' of tlf will take its time anyway.
If you have a contrubution to the new design your comments are welcome as always. A snapshot of the draft spec is also availabl
12:25 Posted in Blog, tlf development | Permalink | Comments (6) | Email this | Tags: Linux Ham Software
Comments
Hello Rein,
hope all fine.
Yesterday I got your doc about TLF 1.0 and I think you have fine plans for it. I offer my help, no in programming, but in tests and maybe to learn more about programming too (who knows). About GUI for TLF I think it would be a fine thing since eyes also eat :) :) :) :) . Now I am thinking (maybe I will ask your help) to do rules for next 22. of May, there will be the european castle day (or something about) and I will want to work it on CW but I will deliver another laptop to work on SSB, if another guy from team will want it :) :) :) .
About Xlog I am using it to label printing, it does a soberb job, thanks to Joop. If you can join TLF with Xlog in question of log it will be very fine.
You know:
if you need some tests I am available and free to learn about programming despite my big lack about it.
Best regards and till then.
CT1DRB
David Quental
PS: sorry for my bad english.
Posted by: David Quental | 10/04/2005
Hello Rein,
I think you are right, TLF need a modern GUI. But thats not all, we should define a very modular design. So we can step by step build the new TLF. We can delegate jobs to already existing programs (xlog e.g.) and later write a new module for e.g. logging if necessary.
73 Wolf, Dl2WRJ
Posted by: Wolf, DL2WRJ | 10/04/2005
Hi Wolf, yes, that's why I posted the draft specification. The idea is to:
- finish the spec
- freeze the spec
- make a new modular design
- spec the modules
- farm out the coding to whomever want to do it...
- use the modules to build several 'flavors' of tlf
BTW, I upgraded to UBUNTU 5 last night (via internet upgrade), and I am 95% up....
73, Rein PA0R
Posted by: pa0r | 10/04/2005
David, you can already use Xlog together with tlf, as Xlog can import TRlog format... the format tlf is using...
Rein
Posted by: pa0r | 10/04/2005
Yes, I know it Rein, but is it possible do it more dinamically??
Eg. when we do enter in tlf to log directly in xlog???
It is an idea, maybe it is not possible, or maybe my idea is not so fine.
CT1DRB
David Quental
Posted by: David Quental | 10/04/2005
First, I love tlf. The interface just makes more sense. I've used na,ct,n1mm and even though n1mm is becoming the Windows standard software it's interface is still not usuable in the heat of a contest.
Rein, you talk about the UI, but I think the first thing to do would be to create a cleaner TLF api to build the interface upon.
Posted by: Pat Collins | 12/04/2005
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