It's now almost ten years since GPSS, the GPS Software, was released into the UK onto several million PC magazine cover CDs as a means of free promotion.
At that time it was intended only as an in-car navigation aid, for use on laptop PCs connected to a GPS, and for the emerging "Car-PC" which I have always thought would become the eventual solution for consumer in-car systems.
In less than two years, police, military and business contracts had funded the extension of GPSS to remote tracking in such applications as covert monitoring (i.e., bugging of a vehicle by police or owners of a transport vehicle).
This AVL (Automatic Vehicle Location) use of GPSS became an important business use of GPSS over the years, with many communications systems used, including radio, mobile 'phone, and satellite systems.
Meanwhile, the software and free mapping for many countries was also made available on the Internet in 1997 so anyone could get a copy by downloading from www.gpss.co.uk.
Many of those who have downloaded GPSS since then have been potential business customers, wishing to test the product. However, far more have been simply "GPS Enthusiasts" - those who had a laptop PC, had recently acquired a GPS, and were looking for some free software they could use as a navigation aid in their car.
GPS Enthusiasts have provided me with many things over the years. A primary thing they give me is "market intelligence" when they fill out the Quiz on the download page. For example, through this I hear of the arrival of new GPS products.
The Enthusiasts also rapidly find any bugs that have surfaced in the software, usually due to some minor change implemented to add a new capability. They often suggest changes themselves - although I've always had to give priority to those needed for the business users.
Some of them accomplish work which extends the product itself - like the ability for it to speak Japanese, Russian or some other language. Their questions, when asking for free support, often help me to make what documentation there is on the web site clearer.
They often ask for "documentation" - thinking perhaps that there might be one big book somewhere that describes the total GPSS product, including how to use it and how to configure it for the many applications of which it is capable - and in their own language, of course :-)
End User documention of commercial versions tends to be tailored to a particular application or project, and has to be extremely brief - perhaps only one or two pages (who reads the manual anyway ?). It often needs to deal with procedures such as paper log books or telephones - not just what they do via the GPSS computer screen.
Imagine my pleasure reading the first draft of this documentation of GPSS in its 'enthusiast' use, written by Dave Gehman - himself a GPS Enthusiast who downloaded GPSS and registered it to get my technical support.
Such a book - electronic or otherwise - aimed at "GPSS for the GPS Enthusiast" was a long time coming - but now it is here ! -)
I am most grateful to Dave for the good work he's done in producing this book, with little or no help from me. I'm particularly thankful for his putting my copyright onto the pages, so that we can make
this material freely available to others via future GPSS CDs and www.gpss.co.uk
Robin Lovelock
Creator of GPSS
Sunninghill, UK
October 2004
By Dave Gehman
Creator of GPSS
Sunninghill, UK
October 2004
© Copyright 2004, Robin Lovelock
Send changes, suggestions to Dave Gehman