Tuesday, March 02, 2010

ROS developer issues G4ILO with an ultimatum

I visited the ROS Digital Modem Group on Yahoo! and found the following message:

ROS ULTIMATUM

For Julian, G4ILO,
Has a period of 24 hours to correct the news about the legality of ROS in your blog or it will be illegal to use it yourself. Am I making myself clear enough.

Several hours ago I posted about the news that the FCC had reversed its decision regarding the legality of the use of ROS in the US. Is that not good enough for him?

A week ago, when I posted that ROS was illegal in the US, that was what the FCC believed and what I wrote was true at the time. I am not in the Soviet Union and I am not rewriting history to suit someone else's convenience. Moreover, if someone has an issue with me or anything I write, would not the correct way to proceed be to send me an email, not issue an ultimatum in a public forum that I may or may not read?

I am so angry I can barely type.

Update: Jose has now seen my post of this morning and issued an apology. He wrote:

Sorry, i did not see the new post.
I apologize and I hope you put yourself in my place and understand my indignation.

I don't wish to have any ill-feeling so I have accepted his apology. But I am still pretty angry and upset about the manner in which he chose to express his indignation. Even if I hadn't yet written about the changed ruling, an email would have been all that was needed to obtain my assurance that I would as soon as I could.

I will not be using the ROS digital mode any more.

27 comments:

  1. 2.2khz is a ridiculous use of bandwidth I entirely agree. Anyway in my opinion there are already enough under-used digital modes: do we really need another one?

    I too would be seething and delete the software immediatley.

    To threaten to ban you from using it for writing what was only true at the time of writing beggars belief. What century does this guy come from?

    This is the second time today I have had recourse to the ARRL's "Amateur's Code":

    Number Four:

    The Amateur is friendly......kindly assistance, cooperation and consideration for the interests of others; these are the marks of the amateur spirit.

    Where does threatening you in such a childish way come into this?

    Point number five says the amateur is balanced..... MMMmm!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unbelievable. Do he have a call sign?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Julian,

    What an awful over-reaction by the ROS developer. Mind you someone else has onviously offended him take a look here http://rosmodem.wordpress.com/

    He is starting a list of amateurs banned from using ROS. How will he enforce that I wonder?
    Think he needs to take a "Chill Pill"!!

    73 De Kevin

    ReplyDelete
  4. I don't know if he has a callsign. We know his full name but I haven't managed to trace it.

    He could enforce his ban by encoding banned calls into new versions of his program.

    One has to ask whether we need this new mode if this is the way it is introduced. For myself, I plan to spend the next few weeks operating Olivia at the maximum power possible, and RTTY if the recommended frequencies move to where that is more appropriate. I would urge others who sympathize with my viewpoint and are able to do so to do the same, and encourage others to do so also. I think a point needs to be made that people can't just invent a new mode and then ride roughshod over everyone else.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Julian, I fully understand your and others reaction and responses but know from personal experience how easy it is to ‘act in haste and regret at leisure’, especially when under pressure. I’m glad to hear Jose apologised to you, and I suspect he will regret and retract his ban list in a few weeks. Perhaps we should try to give him the benefit of the doubt while he is under pressure, even if it is self inflicted. Whether we need another digi-mode is a different issue and I’m not convinced that ROS is a better WSM than others using a smaller BW. Only time will tell whether it is better, or just a different solution to a solved problem. 73 John (G4HUK)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I already decided after the first post about this new broadband mode not to use it myself. I'm not interested at all. Your writing about the ROS developers response sounds to me as a bad joke, I did not laugh at all. I hope somewhere in the future something like the WSPR mode has a possebility to communicate 2way contacts. I understand you're angry Julian but don't think an action against ROS is the proper way to react as a real radioamateur. If it was my own blog I would consider to remove all ROS related posts so no-one could ever found anything about it on my blog. 73, Bas

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi, Bas. No, I don't believe in censorship, even self-censorship. This blog has always been about what I am currently thinking and doing, radio-wise, and this is what I am currently thinking and doing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am starting to believe in Full Moon effect :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Why am I not surprised by all this. It was predictable once carte blanche was granted to everyone to do exactly what they want, when they want, and where they want.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The developer seems to be bit of a hot head. I was expecting something like this. After seeing him threatening to sue the chap you only checked with the FCC in good faith. I was wondering who will be next? We really don't need his type in Amateur Radio!
    I am right behind you Julian. I am really not going to try this mode now, and I am going to enjoy my FM-Hell245, MFSK, RTTY more so now! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. haha awesome... I always say you know your popular when people hate you you dont even know!

    good show old man!

    seriously I side with you but fun reading your gaining blog readers by the hour now I suspect! hihi

    ReplyDelete
  12. Geez Julian,

    Seems on his part like a case of, "I don't like the way you're playing, so I'm going to take my ball and go home!"

    Bravo to you for deleting the software!

    72 de Larry W2LJ

    ReplyDelete
  13. Adam, Bas, you're famous now! Someone on QRZ alerted me to the fact that you're both listed as "persona non grata" on the ROSmodem website.

    See what happens when you associate with a subversive? ;)

    ReplyDelete
  14. NO SOFTWARE FOR YOU! ONE YEAR!

    (It's from a Seinfeld episode here in the States :-) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNwbjcuQUv8 )

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ridiculous..

    Im done with this ROS mess as well.. its pretty inefficient bandwidth-wise anyway.

    The whole deal was mis-handled from the beginning, done deal.

    73 Julian and try not to worry! de kq7w

    ReplyDelete
  16. oh I made the non-grata list as well LOL

    heck its one way to be famous Julian, let's savor the moment :D

    73

    Matt - kq7w

    ReplyDelete
  17. well...he can add me to his banned list!

    I wont be using an application where the developer acts like this!

    Threatens to sue a fellow amateur because he was worried it would break his local licence regs - nothing wrong at all with that. And well within good operating to check ... if mr Ros can't understand that .... his ego is bigger than his brains.

    He does not even have the guts to show his callsign ... if he even has one!

    Julian .... good on you!

    Scratch ROS from my operating ... Ill stick to my FSK441 and JT65 :)

    73 Simon ZL4PLM / DL4PLM / GM4PLM

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hello Julian,
    I can understand that you are angry about the public posting on Yahoo. That is not the way we should communicate with each other. Only to say 'sorry' is not enough, while he is asking for understanding for his point of view. Ridiculous! I will not use ROS anymore. Keep up the good 'critical' work. We need common sense in radio land. 73 Paul

    ReplyDelete
  19. I feel quite left out now that I am not on the "banned" list! Not that I had intended to use ROS, think I will stick to PSK for now!
    Having looked at the ROS developer's blog there is rather an arrogant tone about it which I don't care for. There was no need for this kind of reaction in a hobby we should be enjoying. Lets hope he sees some sense and calms down.
    Anyway I'm off to work.............
    73 de Kevin

    ReplyDelete
  20. I see the ROS developer adds anyone you has posted his call in comments to Julian's blog to the “Non Grata” List. Especially if the comments criticise ROS mode in anyway.

    In support of those already on the list and for "Freedom of Speech", I protest against the "Blacklist"!

    73 de André, M0JEK

    ReplyDelete
  21. I was very impressed with Simon who managed to get all three of his calls on it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hello again,

    The spirit of amateur radio is something that has, for a long time, attracted me to the hobby. I found everyone without exception to be helpful, courteous, friendly, giving of their time, and always keen to help a beginner.

    If the ROS developer choses to ban me from using his software then all I can say is good. I am glad. Life is short and precious and mine does not have room in it for such a hot-headed, angry, and imbalanced human being.

    Events such as this a good as they remind me what is truly important in life and what is certainly not.

    Best wishes, Adam

    ReplyDelete
  23. Wow that's really weird. As a computer programmer myself I can understand the pressures you can be under. And I'd be lying if I said I haven't flown off the handle a couple of times. But this isn't for money, this isn't mission critical, this is just for fun.

    I guess you just gotta shake your head and move on.

    And please note that if you don't agree with my comments here it will be illegal for you to read them. haha

    Jay aka KD8EUR

    ReplyDelete
  24. ok I get the prize for getting three callsigns banned at once :)

    seems his banned list has been removed anyway :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Julian,
    This whole saga has been so bizzare and I am sure when the smoke clears we will be able to laugh about it all. I hope the developers red mist lifts soon and he sees what an ass he is making of himself. The phrase 'if you can't stand the heat' comes to mind.

    I have been somewhat otherwise involved or I would certainly have had similar posts about ROS on CQHQ and have therefore been on the banned list. I certainly would not would not have lost any sleep over it. As I see it it is almost a badge of honour to be included. As the banned list has been removed I cannot check to see if exception was taken to my forum posts on QRZ etc.

    What is clear from this incident is we need to organise the bandwidth we have better and have some formal system where data modes are subject to some sort of approval before use. What concerns me is that a new data mode is to everyone not aware of it encrypted and if that includes the authorities then surely that is a breach of licensing conditions?

    ReplyDelete
  26. There's a final even more bizarre twist to this that I'm just going to post about. But you make a valid point about the encryption. Perhaps we should try and get it banned in the UK as well? :)

    ReplyDelete