Thread: Why do we need car Front End software?!

I can not answer for the other guys. They probably have their reasons.

As for me, I made AiPC for a couple of reasons. Having the winblows desktop on a car just does not seem right. It does not look like it belong there. So I created AiPC for my personal use but I shared it with the rest of the pople.

Also, my interface seems like it came out of the factory. It looks one with the car and it looks pretty nice IMO. At the end of the day, you are limited to what I put on the software but it looks more professional.

Also, I am not sure about the rest but AiPC was created with "me" as the main user so it's prefect for me. There are things with ME that I am not too found of and I refuse to pay 25 bucks to Gnet. Now I have a software that is better than GNet (using the same program to creat it) and it's free!

Front ends just make it easier to do things. If done correctly, it will make it take less time to do the same things you could on a normal desk top. The idea is that you don't need to the full functionality of a desktop in your car, and you don't want to use a keyboard or mouse. So, you choose a limited number of features to have access to, and make them available in the easiest way to access.

The programs we have access to now for windows are not ideal. They are sort of a cruch to make a desktop seem like an embedded device. Eventually, rather than just having easy access to those few features we readily need, the computer would actually include only those features. This will allow to a more purpose built machine, or embedded device. That will one day mean fast startup, rock solid stabilty, and fully, explicitly, integrated functionality.

the idea of a frontend is simple. Someone decides to make one then 100 users demand their features get put in.. driving the coder to the breaking point so they go on a killing spree Sorry I had to say something funny.. Its been a long day at work

Well, I can't speak for anyone else. Expecially since I'll be running straight XP for the interface, customized to suit. I was almost thinking about running a front end, just because they're so easy to use. If you can get everything you need all in one easy-to-read display, why not? Passengers in my car could control the computer without needing a tutorial from me. Not that I want a lot of people touching my computer, but if they do, they won't break anything. Plus, for the cool factor, some of the skins you people make look way cool!

The other thing I can think of is screen resolution. Again, my comp will be running at least 1024x768, so I won't have so much of a problem. Although, driving at 60mph and wanting to change a track or launch GPS or something, it's much easier to do with a large, clearly labelled, button, rather than a small link or having to navigate the start menu. Besides, Windows looks kinda lame running at 640x480 with huge fonts (in my opinion).

Anyway, I guess it's up to personal preference in the end anyway, I just thought I'd share my opinion.

Regards,

Kris

Originally Posted by hijinks21

the idea of a frontend is simple. Someone decides to make one then 100 users demand their features get put in.. driving the coder to the breaking point so they go on a killing spree Sorry I had to say something funny.. Its been a long day at work

No. Unfortunately its not funny. It is all truth. And that was the hole idea writing that. I'm talking particularly for MediaCar. It was stable running software for me from v.1 to v.1.7. And since then I can't get it to run properly in spite of all coyote's efforts to do it such a program. Let first achieve stability and then do
anything else.

Stable Application is needed before features are added. That's why I make my own frontend. If you don't like other people's frontend, make your own

the problem is that at certain point, once you made a stable software and you add even only one new feature the castle you have built could act like a domino.... it goes down...

apart this, a front-end is a must because you can't have a windows desktop, which has been made for other purposes in other environments. You need to have a simple and effective way to use your media library, just like a head unit does, but with the almost infinite possibilities of a x86-based platform. You could also do this by hardware like a set top box but this requires engineering effort that only companies can support.

Originally Posted by Seraph

Stable Application is needed before features are added. That's why I make my own frontend. If you don't like other people's frontend, make your own

Lucky you.
I know lot about hardware, but when comes to coding don't look for me.
Thats why I respect people like you and the other code gurus in this community.

Originally Posted by nijel

Lucky you.
I know lot about hardware, but when comes to coding don't look for me.
Thats why I respect people like you and the other code gurus in this community.

What kind of front end are you looking for? I have yet to install mediacar but from screen shots I've seen it looks real nice. I like ME but it's missing a couple of things. I am looking for a software that is flexible enough to put what ever application and run it. Modular to be exact so that there is a primary app that runs modular secondary apps. That way, if one of the secondary apps fail, the primary and other secondary apps don't go down. You just have to deal with the one that failed. Otherwise, if you have a huge integrated application, you have trouble and flexibility issues. I used to program a lot. Now I just run databases and networks. But I still code from time to time.