RE: [ATM] ATM Software?

["Jerry" <wa4guu@verizon.net>]

There are great programs to serve just about every aspect of ATM already.
Jim Burrows Sixtests and a host of other programs for Foucault reduction,
John Upton's Ronchi for Windows for mirror testing, Plop for cell design.
There are numerous programs for diagonal size and component layout. There is
Lambda Research's OSLO-EDU free version of quite serious raytracing
software. FringeXP by ... I don't remember ... I could really go on for a
while on what already exist. 

Your challenge would be to do something useful that is either new or better.
Better will be difficult except around the fringes in such things as I/O
user interface, different platforms and maybe saving files of progress or
different projects. New is hard, at least new and useful is hard because if
it was easy it would probably already exist.

There are many things that have been or can be programmed that just aren't
complicated or redundant enough to write code for. Some new to ATM use some
of these programs and never learn the principles concerning that aspect of
ATM served by the programs. I will omit examples so as not to offend anyone.

Useful is a program for something that is repetitive and/or involves complex
math or much simple math.    

It might be best for you to use others programs and decide what you do and
do not like about them and then write one to suit you. If there are no
suitable programs for the task you choose just write what will do what you
want the way you want to make you happy. If it is good others will like it.
Post it to the list and you will find how useful others find it and what
they would like to see added or changed. Then use that feedback to improve
it. I know you said you didn't want to write it twice but I think once will
not be enough anyway.

There is nothing wrong with wanting money for producing something. But most
ATMs are "do it yourselfers". Your software would really have to be more
than just "neat". It would have to be a real energy saver for me to send
money. Some, no, all of the amateur programs I mentioned are worth money. 

Ask yourself. What is it when I make a telescope that is troublesome enough
that I wish I had a program for?

I see that Jerry Hillman is thinking along the same lines as this Jerry.


Jerry  




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