[chirp_users] Prolific update and amateur pirates

[Brett Bump]

I would have to agree with John.  My brother bought a couple of UV-5R's
and then bought the cable and software (wanting me to program them).  I
decided it was quite a deal and so picked up a couple myself.  I was one
of the first 2 Citrix certified installers in the state and have to say
I would be the last person to recommend you upgrade Windows (or for that
matter, run Windows at all).

Dan Smith has done a wonderful job of creating a fine piece of software
that only took me about an hour to set up (running Slackware 14.0 here).
For anyone else wanting to run Chirp, I would suggest downloading his
Live CD and using that for your settings.  Why mess up your perfectly
bad Windows machine when there is already a re-bootable solution.

As for the cable that my brother bought.  I have no idea as to the chip.
I hope it is not a counterfeit, although the software is not that good.

Run Dan's Live CD (that is the better solution).

Brett

On Tue, 26 Feb 2013, John W. wrote:

> Well, in most cases, no one knows they have a counterfeit until they get the cable and it does not work properly.  I have not ever heard a retailer saying "We sell fake
> chips".
> 
> Fortunately, I will not be upgrading to Win8.  It brings nothing new, insofar as functionality.  It does however, take away the start menu and introduces a stupid new
> interface that only is effective for touch screens.
>
>       From: Dean Gibson AE7Q <data at ae7q.net>
>       To: Discussion of CHIRP <chirp_users at intrepid.danplanet.com>
>       Sent: Tue, February 26, 2013 9:01:52 PM
>       Subject: Re: [chirp_users] Prolific update and amateur pirates
>
>       I would like to address this to everyone who buys a cable with a counterfeit Prolific USB-to-serial converter chip:
>
>       You may not think you are hurting anyone, but you are.  Aside from the legal and ethical issues with buying counterfeit goods, you are financially affecting
>       more than just Prolific (who sells legitimate chips).
>
>       You are financially affecting me.  And in a very concrete and tangible way.
>
>       Because of the extensive counterfeiting of their USB-to-serial converter chip (and the theft of their intellectual properties:
>       http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=155&pcid=41 ), Prolific has taken certain steps:
>        1. They have designed a new USB-to-serial converter chip that is supposed to be more difficult to counterfeit, and selling that to legitimate cable
>           makers.  This chip will be supported in Windows 8.
>        2. The present USB-to-serial converter chip will not be supported in Windows 8: http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=225&pcid=41
>
>       So, how does this affect me?  I have and use thirteen USB-to-serial converter cables with the old (legitimate) Prolific chip.  These cables will not work
>       when I upgrade to Windows 8.  Instead, I will have to buy new USB-to-serial converter cables.
>
>       I will pay the twice the price you would have paid (times thirteen), than if you had bought a legitimate cable.  Once, for each legitimate original cable,
>       and once again for a new cable.
>
>       So, for those of you who knowingly bought counterfeit cables and continue to use them:  Thanks, guys.
>
>       As a person who has contributed code to the Chirp project, has written other open-source software for the amateur community, and has maintained a couple
>       amateur radio support sites (free and without ads) for the past decade, you have made my heart very warm with feelings of appreciation.  Or maybe just a bit
>       hot.
> 
> 
> 
>