Open Beta - Spotter Network Version 2

[Tyler Allison]

I am proud to announce that the version 2 Spotter Network is WAY ahead of schedule and in open beta.

http://www.spotternetwork.org

The Spotter Network provides FREE OF CHARGE:

- Real-time position updates
- local skywarn/group roster management
- Active/Inactive status reporting
- Show contact information option
- Gibson Ridge place file integration
- SwiftWX network integration
- APRS network integration

Version 2 adds three new features:
- manual location profiles for those without GPS
- Send storm reports to the NWS/coordinator (under construction)
- Audio alarms for various events such as you are in a tornado warned area, lightning in the area, other spotters near you, etc...etc..

Free registration required. All functionality is free except audio alarms, which are included with any AllisonHouse.com subscription.

Download the latest open beta here:
http://www.spotternetwork.org/software/Release-V2-Beta5.zip

-Tyler

 

[Doug_Kiesling]

Ok, tried out Spotter Network to check out what some of the buz was.

My Uber Beta Tester Review "D+"

Now I do a lot of beta testing for people because I can find bugs in just about anything when it comes to the end users ease of use and functionality.

It took a while to load and it had to load the huge Microsoft .NET software package that I did not have or really want on my laptop in the first place.

From what other's have posted, I thought it was an all in one mapping software that I could use to see other spotters over radar. Nope, it is just a GPS reporting software and I need to download Gibson Ridge if I want radar data. So that mean's you need two pieces of software to do one job?

Why would anyone want to use two pieces of software when their are already other radar packages out there that do this already such as Stormlab and Swiftwx.

Honestly, I don't see what the point to the software is except as a free patch to Gibson Ridge and there are other packages that integrate it automatically.

 

[John Erwin]

Why would anyone want to use two pieces of software when their are already other radar packages out there that do this already such as Stormlab and Swiftwx.

Honestly, I don't see what the point to the software is except as a free patch to Gibson Ridge and there are other packages that integrate it automatically.
[/b]

To be fair, the software wasn't billed as a radar display tool. It will likely be of interest to those that either do not have/can't have APRS (or need other options due to performance etc.) and for those that want to track various personnel in the field for whatever reason.

Having said that I'm a bit alarmed that .NET is a requirement of installation; if that's the case then I won't be trying this software any time soon.

 

[Tyler Allison]

Not sure I understand the complaining with having .NET installed. It's the defacto standard for windows network programming. I can look into dropping the .NET requirement but I don't understand why I should reinvent the wheel.

-Tyler

 

[Joey Ketcham]

Not sure I understand the complaining with having .NET installed. It's the defacto standard for windows network programming. I can look into dropping the .NET requirement but I don't understand why I should reinvent the wheel.

-Tyler
[/b]

I was wondering the same thing. What's the problem with .NET being installed?

 

[Edward Ballou]

Isn't it like using a power tool to screw in a simple screw? A matter of what's more convienent to the programmer?

Not like it should matter. People usually complain about needing to upgrade their systems. This is just part of the growing pains of technology.

Kind of off topic but still related - I can't play Battlefield 2 on my laptop because my graphics card isn't good enough - it sucks but I deal with it and still play it occasionally.

 

[Doug_Kiesling]

I was wondering the same thing. What's the problem with .NET being installed?
[/b]

This is on my mobile computer and I try to have the least amount of stuff on it that would have any effect on the RAM or start up or running in the back ground. Granted it is a P4 3Ghz with 2 Gig of ram but if I don't need it I don't want it on the laptop. I went 12 months without it

Granted it was not Tyler saying it was a radar product but several others telling me that it was a cool radar product and when I loaded it I was saying where the hell is the radar product.

For the Skyway folks and net control, it may be cool but for what I do, it is pretty much not needed.

 

[John Erwin]

I was wondering the same thing. What's the problem with .NET being installed?
[/b]

Well of course it depends on your personal situation. I don't install any features I don't need, and I've never needed .NET for anything on my personal equipment. I do work in IT for a living and have encountered several significant problems with .NET related issues in my workplace, however I can also appreciate the benefits for developers (although it's not like there isn't other existing standards out there). I don't have any experience with .NET 2.0 so some of the issues may have been sorted out.

Most of this may be moot in the future anyways; Windows Vista uses .NET at it's core and it will not be an option to install it.

 

[Tyler Allison]

This is why the SpotterNetwork exists....example picture of three chasers out on the Colorado storm tonight (21st)

Scott Blair, Dave Floyd, and Albert Pietrycha

It makes coordinating them much easier...assuming they want/willing to be coordinated

 

[Joey Ketcham]

Tyler,

I'm having a bit of a problem trying to send position update, no matter what I put in for the Spotter ID it just keeps throwing back:

[6/21/2006 10:36:33 PM] - Not a valid Spotter ID. Use Spotter ID not Callsign

In the server communication log. What exactly am I suppose to be putting in here?

 

[Tyler Allison]

Login to the website and in your details page will be a section labeled "SpotterID" and it will look something like this 'ah384h2u3'...put that in there.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

Yeah I figured it out right after I made that last post.