Building ASL on Debian Buster

Some AllStarLink sysops have expressed the desire to build an AllStarLink system on a modern Debian operating system. I took the time to document a working build process for the 020 Digital Multiprotocol Network and then Scott <KB2EAR> volunteered to create a shell script to automate the process. We are happy to share our work with the amateur radio community.

Please note that this process currently works only on the x86 architecture. It fails on a Raspberry Pi OS Buster system.

Hopefully this effort will fulfill a need for others in the AllStarLink community.

73 de K2IE

AllStarLink, Inc. Obtains Copyright

There are a couple of warring camps in the Allstar (app_rpt) development world. One group, AllStarLink, Inc., has claimed to represent the vision and interests of Jim Dixon <WB6NIL>, the original developer of app_rpt. Another group, HamVoip, has made some significant changes in that code in an effort to improve it.

So why can’t we all get along?

Jim Dixon released his code under the terms of the Gnu Public License. The short explanation of GPL is that anyone is free to use the code but any enhancements must be shared back with the community. AllStarLink, Inc. has insisted that HamVoip share the source code to its enhancements. HamVoip has declined.

The acrimony in some online forums has been thick enough to cut with a knife. Some have branded HamVoip as pirates and some have said that AllStarLink ought to get over itself and has no authority to enforce anything.

The scale has shifted in favor of the AllStarLink, Inc. defense of “open source”. In a recent announcement, the Board of Directors reports that:

AllStarLink, Inc., the extension of Jim Dixon’s vision for AllStar, has obtained all rights including Copyright to app_rpt and associated material. In the spirit of Open Source, we encourage code contributions to the project. Thank you for your continued support in keeping the AllStar vision alive.

Hopefully this settles matters once and for all. May Jim Dixon’s vision of an open, community based solution for analog repeater linking live long and prosper.