Re: [44net] AMPRNet Address Sale

Let me propose you an idea although it's an off-topic in this list. We have a serious problem in amateur radio regarding digital development. It is software quality, platform independence and openness. I fully agree. If I have any say in this, *all* hardware and software development funded by our grants must be open sourced and made freely available. If you want to keep it proprietary, don't do it with our money. Some of you may have heard of FCC RM-11831, which would effectively ban any air interface on the ham bands that isn't publicly documented. I filed comments stating that while I am personally sympathetic to the principle that all amateur air interfaces should be open, trying to enforce that now with a legal rule would have serious unintended consequences. All three VHF/UHF digital voice modes (D*Star, DMR and Fusion) would be banned because they all use unpublished voice codecs proprietary to Digital Voice Systems Inc. I argue that a much better way to deal with proprietary air interfaces on the ham bands is to beat them at their own game: develop superior open source alternatives and persuade hams to adopt them. This has already been done for low-bit-rate voice coding: VK5DGR has developed the excellent Codec2 and made it freely available. So here is our chance to seriously pursue development of advanced, 21st century digital communication systems that, from the beginning, will be free and open. 73, Phil