Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] Why Isn't GNU Radio Used More?

[Michael Dickens]

On May 9, 2011, at 11:12 AM, Marcus D. Leech wrote:
> I think there's a significant community out there that learned DSP techniques 
> inside the envelope of Matlab/Simulink, and that's what they're comfortable 
> with.

True; that's how I did (MATLAB; Simulink wasn't around yet).  I'd take that a 
step further: I'd guess that 90+% of -potential- MATLAB / Simulink / Octave / 
PyLab / LabVIEW / GNU Radio / GR Companion users just want the system to work 
as provided, without having to implement anything further beyond basic scripts 
-- meaning, for GNU Radio, they don't want to have to delve into writing or 
deciphering C++ blocks, and SWIG and XML glue necessary to use them in Python 
and GRC.  I don't know if GRC provides this what those 90+% need just yet in 
terms of blocks; good "help" files / system are a necessity, as pointed out by 
Scott.

> To change this, Gnu Radio has to appear in more places in academia, so that 
> graduating engineers have already been exposed to it, and find it "natural".

I think that GNU Radio is pretty well represented in many areas & those are 
growing pretty quickly right now.  I don't think GNU Radio will grow in 
academia until it is more accessible and meets the needs to those 90+%.

I think to succeed in the way MATLAB did, GNU Radio needs to provide 
functionality and documentation for those 90+%, without requiring them to learn 
"anything GNU Radio" more than the GRC GUI.  For many potential users, writing 
C++ / Python / SWIG / XML is too daunting to even consider -- whether because 
of fear of the unknown, because they are not well documented, or just because 
there are too many potential areas for "difficult to debug" mistakes.

IMHO what GNU Radio needs is a stable API, internal code documentation, help 
files for "how to use GNU Radio", and then a well-written "how to use GNU 
Radio" book that includes examples of using GRC.  I think this combination 
would bring GR/C to the masses -- those 90+%. - MLD