[Xastir] Xastir on new iPad

[Peter Gamache]

There's also limited cost-effectiveness to porting Xastir (or any *nix app)
to the iPad, due to the cost of the device.  You'd be able to buy two
average netbooks ($200-225 for a system w/ 1.6 GHz dual core CPU, >100 Gb
hard disk, at least 1Gb ram) for the cost of just one iPad.

I comfortably run Xastir on Xubuntu Linux on various Dell, Lenovo and Acer
laptops and netbooks, all with 1Gb of ram or more and 1.6GHz or faster CPU.
Over the course of a few years of trolling ebay, craigslist and woot, I have
acquired enough laptops and netbooks to run Xastir at every rest stop of the
MS-150 event in town, and I've paid under $200 for most of them.  While
having tablets would certainly look nice, it all boils down to cost.  The
money I've saved on computers can be put into buying more radios and TNCs.

Speaking of radios, the interface with the iPad would be a challenge, too. 
The iPad is pretty weak with hardware for i/o:  No USB unless you use a
dongle (price/availability not yet announced, last I checked).

73,
- Peter / kc0tfb


On Sun, Jan 31, 2010 at 07:20:03AM -0600, Jason KG4WSV wrote:
> On Sun, Jan 31, 2010 at 12:27 AM, Nick <nwsnowboarder at verizon.net> wrote:
> > I was wondering if there was any desire to port Xastir to the iPad?
> 
> I doubt it.  lots of work, extremely limited user base.
> 
> > ?Certainly looks like an awesome touchscreen navigation tool.
> 
> ... until you start looking at the details, like no multitasking (I
> thought it was microsoft's job to be 20 years behind?) and the fact
> that only apple approved apps can be used.  Your device is locked, and
> you can only load apps apple has chosen to include in the apps store,
> or perhaps you can become a developer (for $$, $99 to $299 a year
> right now) so that you can build your own apps for the device you
> theoretically own.
> 
> The mac is the only product apple sells that is consumer friendly.
> Everything else is locked down, subscription based, bleed you for the
> rest of your life, etc.
> 
> -Jason
> kg4wsv
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