Announcing the DCS-BIOS Discord Server (and some thoughts on the future of DCS-BIOS)

[FSFIan]

Hi everyone,

 

DCS-BIOS now has a Discord server: https://discord.gg/29mF3Xn

 

I'll try to monitor this whenever I can. I invite you to hang out there while you work on your simpits, nag me about bug reports I have missed, or pick my brain about DCS-BIOS, Arduino boards and digital electronics in general.

 

As some of you have probably noticed, the pace of DCS-BIOS development has gradually ground to a halt over the last year or two and my response times to questions have gotten worse. Long story short: I lost any enthusiasm I had to think about formal topics that I could not apply in practice and studying Computer Science got frustrating and depressing as a result. Since I already had my BSc degree, I decided to stop working on my Masters degree and get a job. Since the beginning of October I am working full time doing 2nd level support for a web hosting company.

 

Here's what this means for DCS-BIOS:

• The quality of the time I get to spend on DCS-BIOS has improved, because my day job does not involve programming anymore so it is not competing for the exact same brain resources I need to work on DCS-BIOS. When I am at home, I get to do whatever I am awake enough to do instead of worrying about some upcoming exam or unfixed bug.
  
• The amount of time I get to spend on DCS-BIOS has decreased, and I only get longer uninterrupted time slots on weekends and holidays.
  

 

The most fun I had with DCS-BIOS has always been talking to WarHog using TeamViewer or Skype, discussing the circuits and Arduino sketches for different panels. This also happens to be something I can still do reasonably well after an 8-hour work day.

 

I want to talk to more of you more often. A lot of problems are also easier to solve in an interactive conversation than over a web forum.

 

Discord has released a screen sharing feature recently. This offers an easy way to transition from a public voice chat room into a direct message with video chat or screen sharing, which can come in handy to track down bugs that I cannot reproduce on my machine.

 

I'll try to hang out on that Discord server after work and on the weekends whenever I can.

This week and the next I am on early shift, so "after work" means somewhere between 15:00 and 19:00 UTC.

 

Otherwise the typical "after work" times will be between 18:00 and 22:00 UTC.

 

I plan to get some version of DCS-BIOS 2.0 finished and released before the end of 2018. I have gotten used to the new job by now, have cleaned up my desk to the point where I have space for some electronics again, and plan to get a look at some of the outstanding bugs on the weekend.

[Hansolo]

Excellent news and a really good initiative @Ian. Sound like a really good opportunity to hang around and learn. I hope to be online from time to time to pick your brain.

 

Cheers

Hans

[Deadman]

Let's make it a party I will bring the beer.

[pdmarsh]

Thank you, Ian. When a hobby starts to feel like a job, it's time to pull away. You did the right thing, but we're glad to have you back.

 

Sincerely,

Paul

[GSS Rain]

Good to have you back Ian. Congratulations on your career.

[jrsteensen]

Hey Ian, it appears the discord invite expired! I'd love to come chat with y'all.

[FSFIan]

The one in the original post (invite code 29mF3Xn) is listed with an infinite lifetime in my discord app. Which Link did you use?

[kadda]

:thumbup: