Free Android OpenCPN new download location. OpenCPNce help needed.

[Stunt Duck]

@Yens,

Its a mistake to tag legitimate queries you don't approve of as Trolls.

You made your point - no support.

[Yens]

No version or build of OpenCPN comes with any warranties, guaranteed updates or support. I've pointed you to the available community support options: They have worked well for many people over many years.

Also, I don't need to sell you anything. The builds are for my own pleasure and use. If they work for you, be my guest.

If you're not happy with these free community offers, contribute to improve them or simply move on: Navionics has some excellent apps with professional support.

[yachtmanforfun]

Originally Posted by Yens

No version or build of OpenCPN comes with any warranties, guaranteed updates or support. I've pointed you to the available community support options: They have worked well for many people over many years.

Also, I don't need to sell you anything. The builds are for my own pleasure and use. If they work for you, be my guest.

If you're not happy with these free community offers, contribute to improve them or simply move on: Navionics has some excellent apps with professional support.

Yens, What can volunteers and community members do to help with the FREE community Open Source Android edition?

Is there a compiler, virtual image already set up?

Should we as a community post the free community version of Open Source Android.apk OpenCPN on the OpenCPN.org website with all the other free Open source versions of OpenCPN for download.

Users could then make a emergency usb stick with charts and Open Source Android OpenCPN.apk ready to make a phone or tablet into a emergency navigation device if there main Navigation system fails.

[rgleason]

I've supported Dave's paid version twice and hope that others will too, because
1. I appreciate all the work.
2. I trust that version.
3. I hope it will improve over time.
4. I hope others will support this version.
5. I believe it will be a reliable and stable path forward for the android version.

[CarCode]

Dave Register has a new job now. He is busy deleting spam postings from his forum: OpenCPN Android Forum - OpenCPN for Android Version 1

Gerhard

[Yens]

Hi

I've updated the Play Store version to enable Google Earth and switched it to the icons used by all the other versions.

Originally Posted by yachtmanforfun

What can volunteers and community members do to help with the FREE community Open Source Android edition?

• Try it out and pass it on: http://bit.ly/opencpn
• Give it a good review on Play Store - the trolls have started to use their 1-star powers
• Join the beta testers http://bit.ly/opencpn-testing and report issues
• Help community members, here and on other forums
• If you get your hands on other APKs (e.g. paid for versions ***), use your rights and request the source code from the distributor
• If you encounter GPL violations, report them here so we can follow up with the distributors and - if necessary - copyright holders (https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-violation.html)

(***) On a rooted android device, you can usually find the APK in /data/data/org.opencpn.opencpn

Is there a compiler, virtual image already set up?

I have, but things are still changing frequently. Anyone interested, get a free $10 credit for DigitalOcean (http://bit.ly/digitalocean-usd10) and I'll hook you up with a snapshot.

In particular: Any Android developers out there who can help finalizing the build process?

Should we as a community post the free community version of Open Source Android.apk OpenCPN on the OpenCPN.org website with all the other free Open source versions of OpenCPN for download.

Whatever and wherever you want

I've started uploading APKs here: http://bit.ly/opencpn-android

Users could then make a emergency usb stick with charts and Open Source Android OpenCPN.apk ready to make a phone or tablet into a emergency navigation device if there main Navigation system fails.

When a kid on a trip earlier this year managed to blow the main fuse, I was lucky to had the beta on my tablet. If there's one thing I can recommend: pre-install and make sure it is ready to go! Also, have a charged external battery pack. The always-on navigation is extremely power hungry.

[Yens]

@yachtmanforfun, if you have a chance to link resources somewhere, there's now two Android tutorials.

French:
http://www.plaisance-pratique.com/Tutoriel-OpenCPN-Android

English:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ub7mjfdcltp523r/Exploring OpenCPN for Android(27Oct15).docx

[Stunt Duck]

Originally Posted by Yens

@yachtmanforfun, if you have a chance to link resources somewhere, there's now two Android tutorials.

French:
http://www.plaisance-pratique.com/Tutoriel-OpenCPN-Android

English:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ub7mjfdcltp523r/Exploring OpenCPN for Android(27Oct15).docx

OMG Yens, you'll take anything that's not nailed down.

[yachtvalhalla]

Originally Posted by Stunt Duck

OMG Yens, you'll take anything that's not nailed down.

Yes he will. How do we get rid of him? Put in the ??

[Yens]

As requested, a version that should be possible to install on Android devices without any of the Google APIs (Amazon tablets, etc). Untested as I don't own any at the moment. PM me with any problems.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qifa7r713o...noapi.apk?dl=1

[yachtvalhalla]

Food for thought .. from the forum FAQ.

Can I block posts, emails and messages from specific users?
If there are particular members that bother you and you do not want to see their posts or receive Private Messages and Emails from them, then you can add these members to your 'Ignore List'. There are several ways to do this:
Through your User Control Panel: User CP, Settings & Options, Edit Ignore List. Then, type their name into the empty text box and click 'Okay'.

[mhasting2004]

All that I can think to say is WOW!

The lead developer of the application we all appreciate (check the about screen if you don't know who Dave Register is) does the hard yards to port OpenCPN over onto Android and then charge a very modest fee for and some idiots get their nickers in a twist and try and circumvent this because of a false sense of outrage and a clear misundersanding of what a GPL v2 means or doesn't mean.

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot the reloading and doing it again.

The way I see it .. if behind your synonym your true name isn't on that about page you got little to say... and if you are on that list or a major contributor to code and have an issue then that is a discussion best had offline.

Seems like those that have the least skin in the game are the ones crying foul the loudest... like I said WOW!

[Marqus]

Perhaps some of the above opinions are about terminology and convention in the software development world.

If you take a piece of software developed by others under an "Open" license, then change it significantly, perhaps you have the option of saying I now present this as a to-be-paid-for product, and I don't allow anyone else to capitalize from or copy my efforts (or code). That seems all fair and reasonable.

The sticky point seems to be when you still want to label your variant of the software as "open" under GPL. (If I'm wrong about this sticky point, please correct me).

Not sure, but it appears to me this could be the issue that raises sensitivities of those familiar with software licensing conventions.

Probably most CF forum readers are not too concerned with such conventions, being rather grateful that a person/persons have provided a useful version of the product at a reasonable price.

[nohal]

Originally Posted by Marqus

Perhaps some of the above opinions are about terminology and convention in the software development world.

If you take a piece of software developed by others under an "Open" license, then change it significantly, perhaps you have the option of saying I now present this as a to-be-paid-for product, and I don't allow anyone else to capitalize from or copy my efforts (or code). That seems all fair and reasonable.

The sticky point seems to be when you still want to label your variant of the software as "open" under GPL. (If I'm wrong about this sticky point, please correct me).

Not sure, but it appears to me this could be the issue that raises sensitivities of those familiar with software licensing conventions.

Probably most CF forum readers are not too concerned with such conventions, being rather grateful that a person/persons have provided a useful version of the product at a reasonable price.

Marqus...
You are aware that Dave wrote most of OpenCPN in general and all the code to make it run on Android, aren't you?

Pavel

[Marqus]

No Pavel, I wasn't. I've never read about who developed it.

Since OpenCPN has existed for a long time I just assumed there would have been multiple programmers over many years.

If there is a single person, Dave, who has done most of the heavy lifting, I am pleased to know and I unreservedly want to express two sentiments towards Dave:
1) Gratitude - thank you for an unbelievable effort
2) Congratulations - it is an excellent piece of software; its endurance and extendability reflects good underlying architecture, so it seems to have been well built.

I don't think many of us can realistically estimate the man-hours required to build software the size of OpenCPN from scratch.

(May I ask what Dave's CF handle is?)

I actually use OpenCPN on a tablet via Linux CHroot (thanks to CF member "Wrong" for some email help there).

But Blind Freddy can see there's an argument simmering in this current thread.

My above post simply points out that the perceived argument MAY not exclusively be about a small monetary fee; some of it may relate to the nuances of how GPL "open" licenses are run and source code copyright, and that may be better understood by software developers than CF bystanders.

If I am wrong and the thread debate is 100% about circumventing a monetary fee, please correct me.