Re: [gpsd-users] GPSD on Debian 10 (buster): allowing other hosts to access gpsd

[Gary E. Miller]

Yo Charles!

On Sun, 29 Sep 2019 16:31:45 -0600
Charles Curley <address@hidden> wrote:

> On Sun, 29 Sep 2019 14:29:57 -0700
> "Gary E. Miller" <address@hidden> wrote:
> 
> > > IMHO such things are things an admin should know.    
> > 
> > But our typical gpsd users are not admins.  
> 
> Who are the typical gpsd users? Here are the roles I see, with their
> likely interest in systemd.
> 
> * Casual end users, e.g. the typical Android user. This user could not
>   care less about systemd or its interactions with gpsd. We should be
>   able to ignore them.

Two very separate end users here.  Android, which does not use systemd, 
and Linux/MacOS users.

This is the class of user that has the most problems with systemd
and come to gpsd-users and gpsd-dev because the systemd defaults
and documentation are not doing what they want.

So the most critical need is for these folks.  At least until
distros change their defaults and distro specific doc for them.

> * GPS receiver (and other data source) developers. Most of these want
> to integrate their data source with gpsd. Their interest in systemd,
> if any, is to allow them to do what they need to do. These are admins
>   only by necessity.

And similar to the first group.  They want gpsd, as installed by the
distro, to just work.  Which for sysgemd(ung) users is also not the
case.

> * gpsd client developers. Similarly, their interest in systemd, if
>   any, is to allow them to do what they need to do. These are admins
>   only by necessity.

These people almost never show up on gpsd-users and gpsd-dev.  If they
do it is a rifle shot questions, and they are gone.

> * gpsd developers. Similarly, their interest in systemd, if any, is to
>   allow them to do what they need to do. These are admins only by
>   necessity.

Almost 100% of these delete the systemd(ank) files for gpsd and
roll their own.

> Whoever works on actual systemd unit files should
> probably know more about systemd than anyone else.

Unrelated to category.  But this is our real problem, few can make
systemd(umb) work, and few of them stick around long enough to document
their wounds.


> In general, admins range all over the map in their interest in
> systemd, but few admins will have any interest in gpsd. Those who do
> have any interest in gpsd mostly want it as a time source. They want
> to get it set up, and then they want to forget about it. They want the
> intersection of gpsd and systemd to Just Work (tm).

Which the distros current systemd(umber) files fail at totally.  So
the compalints come here.  Like it or not, their dung is in our lap.

> So I think the target audience for gpsd/systemd trouble shooting
> documentation is the latter three gpsd developer audiences above.

I feel it is 80% the first, 0% of the last.  But any progress is
good.

> > Yeah, now someone needs to actualy write it.  Since I do not
> > uuse systemd(ork) I'm not that person.  
> 
> I seem to have volunteered for that.

Thank you!  Any actual progress is appreciated.

> > > And some links to the gpsd documentation.  
> > 
> > Lost me?  We are talking about the gpsd documentation?  
> 
> Specifically, we are talking about documenting the intersection of
> gpsd and systemd.

Yup, which sadly will be distro dependent.

> So Bernd's request for links I take to mean links
> into other parts of the gpsd documentation.

Links gotta go somewhere.  Links are easy, we need the thing that is
linked to that is helpful.  Once the doc is done, it can go in READMEs,
HOWTOS, man pages, etc.

> I think links into the systemd docs may also be appropriate. I will
> look into that as well.

For devs, yes, but most visitors to gpsd-users just want a simple
list of steps to solve the problems of all known systemd(umbest)
configurations to work with gpsd.  They already hate systemd(rek) they
want to touch it as little as possible.

RGDS
GARY
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gary E. Miller Rellim 109 NW Wilmington Ave., Suite E, Bend, OR 97703
        address@hidden  Tel:+1 541 382 8588

            Veritas liberabit vos. -- Quid est veritas?
    "If you can't measure it, you can't improve it." - Lord Kelvin

pgpqUseA_qIFH.pgp
Description: OpenPGP digital signature