Driver strategy - we need to decide among incompatible goals

[Eric S. Raymond]

Gary E. Miller via devel <devel at ntpsec.org>:
> Yo Project Manager via devel!
> 
> On Wed, 14 Aug 2019 19:55:46 -0700
> "Mark Atwood, Project Manager via devel" <devel at ntpsec.org> wrote:
> 
> > Can OnCore be supported by gpsd?
> 
> It presently is supported by gpsd.  Not that it is worth supporting.
> The Oncore is old, undocumented, and not up to most any modern GNSS
> quality.

I changed my mind about that 30 minutes ago in the middle of an interesting
conversation with a guy named Richard Hambly. He trades as CNS Systems, and
supplies an OnCore-based GPS clock with holdover called a CNS Clock II.  Eskil
mentioned this thing in issue #608; I called CNS systems to find out how
it ships 1PPS and ended up having a long and *very* friendly chat with
the proprietor.

https://www.cnssys.com/cnsclock/CNSClockII.php

Here's what makes it interesting.  It ships either RS232 with 1PPS mapped
to DCD or USB with PPS mapped to a DCD priority packet (like our Macx-1)
*and it has holdover*.  Live product!  Supported!  By a person with clue!

He too thinks the OnCore is obsolete and in the process of changing
his stuff over to ship u-blox binary packets.  *But* I liked him and I
think he has the potential to be a good friend of this project, so I
told him we'll refrain from outwright dropping the OnCore driver 
until his switchover is done.

Guy's a wily senior engineer who's seen it all - does his own
hardware, software, and systems integration.  Based in MD not far
south of me, most of his customers are spook shops in the DC area (he
said "three and four-letter agencies").  Cultivating him will be good
networking.

He was very interested to hear about NTPsec, especially when I told
him we can run autonomous without a TC/IP check peer.  I think that's
something his customers want...

Next thing I'm going to do is revise our OnCore driver docs to add his
gear as a compatible hardware product.

I enjoyed talking with him a lot.  I think you would too.  I'm going south to
the DC area next Friday for a small gaming convention and I plan to stop
at his shop for a face-to-face on the way.
-- 
		<a href="http://www.catb.org/~esr/">Eric S. Raymond</a>


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