Fwd: Re: Developing and Deploying devices

[Willem Ferguson]

On 12/04/2016 13:53, Martin Gysel wrote:
>
> I think it depends on the used base. if it's a debian based system (and
> I would start with such a system), then providing a apt-get urls seems
> to be the easiest solution. if using a leaner base (e.g. to reduce
> startup time as much as possible) then flashing a whole image and/or
> replace changed files (using a script or so) may be the best way.
>
> /martin
It is difficult to get good communication on this issue because we are
talking about both hardware and software components and it is so easy to
talk past one another. So here are my 2 cents.

The system that I would foresee is one where the CHIP device is, as far
as the normal user is concerned, a totally dumb piece of equipment, even
though it runs Debian. It gets powered up when the USB cable to the
desktop is connected and it listens for commands from Subsurface. No
ordinary user would ever connect a screen, keyboard or Internet
connection to the CHIP. Since the desktop initiates the communication
process to extract data from a dive computer via the device, the desktop
should also send an appropriate update command to the device whereupon
the desktop supplies the updated software that the device that, in turn,
writes to the 4 Gb storage that the CHIP has. That way the desktop
remains the master of the process and software updates can be maintained
on the desktop and its Internet connection in the way all other Linux
software is maintained. This would theoretically make it possible that
Subsurface can monitor the software version of the device and notify or
update it just like the dive log is currently handled.
Kind regards,
willem