For the last couple of days, SPOCS 2.5 was on the air, but it was running on the Dev machine, SPARCL14. We had a mishap here at the Penguin farm, and could not immediately finish updating SPARCL12 from Fedora 15 all the way to Fedora 23. (Actually, it was TWO mishaps. The result was we couldn't download large files for a few days.)
The great new StarTech USB to serial box has been great. It has made it possible to get the Modicon PLC, that runs the big, nasty alarm horn, off the Optomux network. This, in turn, made it possible to break drivers DR1 and DR3 apart forever. In the process, though, I discovered that DR1 was overdue for some updating. It has been updated, now, and runs quite well.
Gambas is really a hoot to use. You should get your own copy, if you do not already have it. It is a great open source replacement for the proprietary package that was trying to take more money from me because they felt like it. Seriously. Their old package was a nice, inexpensive thing to get and use. Then the outfit that sold it dropped that product, conjured up a new product, complete with racy new name, and said "if you want the great new product, you must buy it. No credit given for supporting the old one. Oh, by the way, the new product is not compatible with the old one. P.S. It is much more expensive." PFAH! Nuts to that garbage. I found Gambas, and have not looked back since.
I have a few adjustments yet to make to SPOCS, and the SPOCS pages. For instance, the alarm log is not up there yet. It will be, soon.
For those who observe it, hope you had a happy Easter.
Good Night, Ma Wolfe, wherever you are.
LEFT: The home of SPOCS: DellroyGMs' lab.
CENTER: The Penguin Farm. machines SPARCL12, L10, L11, & SPARCL14.
RIGHT: finally off the roof.
