Alternative to WebTransceiver java applet

As I am sure many of you are aware, the WebTransceiver has been rendered largely useless by the deprecation of Java support in many major browsers. Even where it can still be used (e.g. Safari), the process to enable it is convoluted and a challenge for many users. Is there any project underway to develop either a standalone app or a modern browser based application in HTML5 or JavaScript that will replace this very useful capability. Lack of an authenticated client for general hams to use to access Allstar nodes is probably the major impediment to much stronger adoption of Allstar. With the uniformly poor audio quality of Echolink being promulgated by its ease of use, we really need an authenticated access method for Allstar that is as easy to use as the Echolink clients.

I am willing to help if there is a path forward here. Is there a better list to discuss this?

Lets discuss,

-Doug-, KD7DK

If you must have the web transceiver there are ways around the problem - see -

https://fedoramagazine.org/firefox-npapi-plugins-fedora/

https://support.mozilla.org/t5/Manage-preferences-and-add-ons/Use-the-Java-plugin-to-view-interactive-content-on-websites/ta-p/3244

Perhaps the best way is to install an old browser version just for using the web transceiver.

but honestly with portable nodes, iaxrpt, the phone portal, sip connections, echolink, etc. why do we really need it. I can count on one hand the times I have used it in four years and then only to play. It never worked that well anyway. Its like Echolink, it uses the computer mic and speakers and its quality is only as good as those are which often is not very good. Most everyone now has a smart phone. From it you can ssh into your node and use iaxrpt, echolink, or other sip application for voice. You could also build a “radioless” portable node that uses your phone as a hotspot or add a radio for extended range.

If a user wants to try out Allstar or connect to an Allstar node to talk to a buddy they could use Echolink by connecting to the many nodes that support it.

My vote for what it counts would be to take it off allstarlink.org altogether. If something is not there no one can complain about it not working!

···

On Sat, Apr 15, 2017 at 2:38 PM, Doug Kingston dpk@randomnotes.org wrote:

As I am sure many of you are aware, the WebTransceiver has been rendered largely useless by the deprecation of Java support in many major browsers. Even where it can still be used (e.g. Safari), the process to enable it is convoluted and a challenge for many users. Is there any project underway to develop either a standalone app or a modern browser based application in HTML5 or JavaScript that will replace this very useful capability. Lack of an authenticated client for general hams to use to access Allstar nodes is probably the major impediment to much stronger adoption of Allstar. With the uniformly poor audio quality of Echolink being promulgated by its ease of use, we really need an authenticated access method for Allstar that is as easy to use as the Echolink clients.

I am willing to help if there is a path forward here. Is there a better list to discuss this?

Lets discuss,

-Doug-, KD7DK


App_rpt-users mailing list

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http://lists.allstarlink.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/app_rpt-users

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73 Doug

WA3DSP

http://www.crompton.com/hamradio

This is the best way… the K5TRA web transceiver… IMHO

https://w0nqx.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-k5tra-allstar-web-transceiver.html

···

On Sat, Apr 15, 2017 at 3:24 PM, Doug Crompton wa3dsp@gmail.com wrote:

If you must have the web transceiver there are ways around the problem - see -

https://fedoramagazine.org/firefox-npapi-plugins-fedora/

https://support.mozilla.org/t5/Manage-preferences-and-add-ons/Use-the-Java-plugin-to-view-interactive-content-on-websites/ta-p/3244

Perhaps the best way is to install an old browser version just for using the web transceiver.

but honestly with portable nodes, iaxrpt, the phone portal, sip connections, echolink, etc. why do we really need it. I can count on one hand the times I have used it in four years and then only to play. It never worked that well anyway. Its like Echolink, it uses the computer mic and speakers and its quality is only as good as those are which often is not very good. Most everyone now has a smart phone. From it you can ssh into your node and use iaxrpt, echolink, or other sip application for voice. You could also build a “radioless” portable node that uses your phone as a hotspot or add a radio for extended range.

If a user wants to try out Allstar or connect to an Allstar node to talk to a buddy they could use Echolink by connecting to the many nodes that support it.

My vote for what it counts would be to take it off allstarlink.org altogether. If something is not there no one can complain about it not working!


App_rpt-users mailing list

App_rpt-users@lists.allstarlink.org

http://lists.allstarlink.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/app_rpt-users

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Thanks in Advance

Bob, WØNQX

Kansas City Metro Area

http://drsm0ke.net

http://byrg.net

http://sm0kenet.net

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

73 Doug

WA3DSP

http://www.crompton.com/hamradio

On Sat, Apr 15, 2017 at 2:38 PM, Doug Kingston dpk@randomnotes.org wrote:

As I am sure many of you are aware, the WebTransceiver has been rendered largely useless by the deprecation of Java support in many major browsers. Even where it can still be used (e.g. Safari), the process to enable it is convoluted and a challenge for many users. Is there any project underway to develop either a standalone app or a modern browser based application in HTML5 or JavaScript that will replace this very useful capability. Lack of an authenticated client for general hams to use to access Allstar nodes is probably the major impediment to much stronger adoption of Allstar. With the uniformly poor audio quality of Echolink being promulgated by its ease of use, we really need an authenticated access method for Allstar that is as easy to use as the Echolink clients.

I am willing to help if there is a path forward here. Is there a better list to discuss this?

Lets discuss,

-Doug-, KD7DK


App_rpt-users mailing list

App_rpt-users@lists.allstarlink.org

http://lists.allstarlink.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/app_rpt-users

To unsubscribe from this list please visit http://lists.allstarlink.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/app_rpt-users and scroll down to the bottom of the page. Enter your email address and press the “Unsubscribe or edit options button”

You do not need a password to unsubscribe, you can do it via email confirmation. If you have trouble unsubscribing, please send a message to the list detailing the problem.

There is no effort to replace or improve the web transceiver that I know about. It would be really great if someone could figure out how to do that with HTML5 etc. There are some interesting developments in later versions of Asterisk that would support such an effort but getting app_rpt working there is another hurdle yet to be accomplished.

For now these instructions might help.

https://hamvoip.org/docs/WebTransceiverSetupHelp.pdf

···

On Sat, Apr 15, 2017 at 11:38 AM, Doug Kingston dpk@randomnotes.org wrote:

As I am sure many of you are aware, the WebTransceiver has been rendered largely useless by the deprecation of Java support in many major browsers. Even where it can still be used (e.g. Safari), the process to enable it is convoluted and a challenge for many users. Is there any project underway to develop either a standalone app or a modern browser based application in HTML5 or JavaScript that will replace this very useful capability. Lack of an authenticated client for general hams to use to access Allstar nodes is probably the major impediment to much stronger adoption of Allstar. With the uniformly poor audio quality of Echolink being promulgated by its ease of use, we really need an authenticated access method for Allstar that is as easy to use as the Echolink clients.

I am willing to help if there is a path forward here. Is there a better list to discuss this?

Lets discuss,

-Doug-, KD7DK


App_rpt-users mailing list

App_rpt-users@lists.allstarlink.org

http://lists.allstarlink.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/app_rpt-users

To unsubscribe from this list please visit http://lists.allstarlink.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/app_rpt-users and scroll down to the bottom of the page. Enter your email address and press the “Unsubscribe or edit options button”

You do not need a password to unsubscribe, you can do it via email confirmation. If you have trouble unsubscribing, please send a message to the list detailing the problem.

Tim