Importance of Linux as supported OS

Discussion forum for the Picoscope 6 Linux software
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boris!
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Importance of Linux as supported OS

Post by boris! »

Because of Windows neverending changes, adding things I do not need, redoing settings I made, discontinuing features that were essential for me ... I would really appreciate PicoScope running on Linux like it does on Windows.
I use/used ubuntu/KDE (high DPI) for other applications than PicoScope and try debian 10/KDE now as stability might be even better.
Mac is not option for me because of existing PC hardware.

What are other users opinions?

RTFM@1984
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Re: Importance of Linux as supported OS

Post by RTFM@1984 »

I fully agree to what boris! expresses. The linux software is not on par with the windows counterpart. There are bugs in the linux software, having to do with the user interface and visualisation, both of which should be fixable with a few hours and I call "low hanging fruit". Still picotech is not able to solve that in intermediate releases/bug fix releases.
It would help already if the source code would be shared with the community and let the community be able to help fixing bugs.

This is my view.

Gerry
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Re: Importance of Linux as supported OS

Post by Gerry »

Hi guys,

As a company we also agree, so I would just like to assure you that the long term plan was to build toward feature parity on the three platforms (Windows, Mac O/S, & Linux). In order to do that we had to divert resources away from adapting PicoScope 6 (which was built for Windows) and toward our Brand new version of PicoScope software, which has been built with all 3 platforms in mind.

I can't give a release date for the New version, but it is on its way, so, thanks for bearing with us.

Regards,

Gerry
Gerry
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Justyn
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Re: Importance of Linux as supported OS

Post by Justyn »

Hi Gerry
That's great news, thanks for the update. I really hope to see it soon.

ferfromla@gmail.com
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Re: Importance of Linux as supported OS

Post by ferfromla@gmail.com »

While I understand that Linux is not widely used by most consumers, it is popular in universities, labs and research facilities. What makes Linux so attractive to me is that it is stable and rock solid. Windows is a constant challenge and very vulnerable to hacks and viruses.

The other thing that is also enticing is the ability to connect it via Linux to a Raspberry Pi. Picoscope is a very powerful and affordable option for students and faculty. Add it to a free and open source Linux distro and you have a very powerful and affordable tool. In fact it would be cool to offer an education package with a Picoscope and a Raspberry Pi bundled together for students and teachers.

I want to encourage you to continue to develop for and support Linux. Hopefully we will someday be able to use it as we do on Windows. Thanks for offering this option it is very important.

kimdino
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Re: Importance of Linux as supported OS

Post by kimdino »

Thanks Gerry,

As 'ferfromla' points out Linux is very popular for this sort of work but I would like to remind you that Ubuntu & Red Hat may be popular distros but thee are many others. Also, both Ubuntu & Red Hat are far from the best distros for technical work. Ubuntu is a general purpose 'hack' version of 'Linux for Windows users' while Red Hat is designed for large enterprise management.

While I fully realise that no company can provide its software in all the many distro packages, could I ask you to provide a more generally usable form ( a tarball + a list of dependencies would be a great help). There have also been several distro-blind installers (e.g. Loki), could one of these be roped in? Flatpak is showing great promise.

Cheers, Kevin
P.S. I use Slackware.

Justyn
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Re: Importance of Linux as supported OS

Post by Justyn »

Hi Gerry

6 months ago you mentioned the new cross-platform version of the Picoscope software, under development.

Could you please give an update on how that is going?

Many thanks.

Gerry
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Re: Importance of Linux as supported OS

Post by Gerry »

Hi Justyn,

I appreciate how frustrating it must seem to have gone this long without an update, so I apologise for that.

There are a number of reasons why we aren't quite there yet. While the cross-platform development makes updates Aeons quicker to implement on all platforms, the overall development takes longer (especially as a lot of this has been a complete rewrite). Also, there has been feedback from customers and reflection on what has caused problems in our PicoScope 6 version, which needed to be addressed for PicoScope 7, along with exciting new features we wanted to introduce. When you add to that the new products that needed and still need inclusion, along with the major headache of Coronovirus, this has overall been a very difficult project to keep on track.

Ultimately, we want to ensure that the new version has what we feel it needs functionally, along with the standard of quality that you would expect from our products, so we would just ask for your patience while we push this forward as quickly and carefully as we can.

Regards,

Gerry
Gerry
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Justyn
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Re: Importance of Linux as supported OS

Post by Justyn »

Hi Gerry

Thanks for the update. It is good to hear of the continued work even though it isn't ready yet.
I certainly sympathise with the many issues you mention, including the pandemic.

We excitedly await the reveal.

Thanks again.

Justyn
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Re: Importance of Linux as supported OS

Post by Justyn »

Hi Gerry

Is there any update on progress with Picoscope 7?

Thanks!

trevor.smith
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Re: Importance of Linux as supported OS

Post by trevor.smith »

Hi Justyn, kindino, FTFM_1984, ferfromla, Boris and others,

Let me introduce myself: I am the Business Development Manager for T&M products here at Pico Technology.

Thank you for your engagement with us and, in particular, your interest in PicoScope support for Linux.

As Gerry said, we have a significant project underway to deliver the next generation PicoScope User Interface: PicoScope 7. Windows, Linux and macOS versions of the software are being simultaneously developed with feature parity across all three.

PicoScope 7 is "Work In Progress". Major elements of the UI are already implemented and working: Channel settings, basic triggers, time-domain and spectrum mode displays, rulers, automated measurements, math channels, serial decoding (21 protocols), reference waveforms, buffer memory controls etc. Functions in development and coming soon include support for digital channels on PicoScope MSO models and support for the signal generator / AWG functions. Other features such as logic triggers, mask limit testing and alarms are on the roadmap but not yet implemented.

Devices supported so far include: demo mode and PicoScope 2000A/B Series. Many other PicoScope devices will also open and work, but are not fully tested yet.

We recently commenced a PicoScope 7 T&M closed beta program for a small number of users to try out the new UI and give us feedback on the look & feel as well as bug reports and general suggestions while development proceeds. I'd like to invite you all to participate in the closed beta program.

If you'd like to sign up please send a request by email to susan.scott@picotech.com Susan will provide you with the joining instructions. You'll be able to choose the version for whichever operating system version you like at that stage.

Thanks again, and I hope you'll enjoy the new PicoScope 7 UI.

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