Author Topic: Davis is failing Mac users  (Read 4588 times)

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Offline johnd

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Re: Davis is failing Mac users
« Reply #25 on: May 13, 2020, 02:56:06 PM »
I do think that as software has become progressively more sophisticated then it does take more and more effort (= people, money etc) to develop, maintain and support. The user market for weather station software is not large enough or rich enough to tempt major software houses or teams to develop new software so it falls either to the hardware manufacturer (Davis in this case) or to individual developers to provide software. And, as Galfert says, even Davis have had to make a hard choice about where to deploy their limited resources and now focus solely on their cloud platform.

The various individual developers have done sterling work in creating Weather Display, Cumulus(MX), weewx etc but unless you've been there you probably don't realise the unrelenting workload, typically for minimal or zero pay, of supporting hundreds or thousands of users around the world, let alone trying to create a new and modern look and features for a program that might have been originally architected 10-15 years ago. There's also the problem that when the individual developer tires of the continuing pressure or falls ill (or worse) then there's often no-one to take over the reins - see what's happened to VVP for instance. Mark did ride to the rescue with CumulusMX, but maybe that's the exception rather than the rule. Weewx, which I confess to not knowing too much about, does (I think!) appear to be rather more of a community effort these days, though is probably not the easiest program for a newcomer to learn. Weathercat again seems to be the work of one person and I'm not surprised that anyone who has a day job as well finds it difficult to provide frequent updates and support (though WC does have its own forum which I presume that anyone with problems would easily find and use).
« Last Edit: May 13, 2020, 03:00:17 PM by johnd »
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Prodata's FAQ/support site for Davis stations
Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
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Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.

Offline openvista

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Re: Davis is failing Mac users
« Reply #26 on: May 13, 2020, 03:00:36 PM »
Regarding the lack of Weatherlink software support for Mac Catalina by Davis, I have received additional confirmation from Davis.  Recall that I am in the process of migrating everything from Windows to MacOS.  Davis had recommended WeatherCat as an alternative.

First, I downloaded WeatherCat to the Mac, but I could not open it because "no station was connected."  I had hoped to be able explore it a bit before moving the station.  So, I took the VP2 off line and moved it from the Windows PC to the Mac.  That was Monday 5/11/20.

Yesterday, I got an almost panicky sounding email from Davis because they noticed the station was offline.  I reminded them of my situation, Mac Catalina, etc.  I asked if it was true that they are not supporting Mac Catalina and later, and asked if this would change in the near future.  He confirmed that they have no plans to support this or any future MacOS.  He added if this changes, he would let me know.  I'm not holding my breath.

Now, my experience with WeatherCat, so far, has not been stellar either:
  • What I have been able to see looks like something designed in the 90's.  Very web 1.0.
  • It opens with a dialog to choose a station; then the coms port field contains only one option, something-bluetooth-something for the VP2
  • The link to download a USB driver for the VP2 in the User Guide is broken
  • Their registration process for the user forum appears designed to keep people away.  My lack of patience for nonsense was sorely tested.  Never did get in
  • 24 hours after downloading, WeatherCat refuses to open; it's still there, 48.7 MB, but's DOA
  • Their tech support via an email link appears non responsive, perhaps even nonexistent

So here I am now, a weather station that's been running for 14 years is dead in the water.  I'll be spending the day searching for alternatives.

Dave, the link for the USB driver is here: https://www.silabs.com/products/development-tools/software/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers. Make sure you read the release notes as you have to visit System Preferences to allow the driver to run. Then when you start WeatherCat you should have an option to pick the USB port in the Station Communications dialog window.

As a fellow WeatherCat user, I can say that the software should serve you well if you are just looking to upload current conditions to WU, CWOP, etc. If you are a stickler for reports, it has an averaging problem I made the developer aware of years ago (basically he takes the 59th minute of every hour, regardless, to create averages rather than summing all the minutes together and dividing by 60). This practice throws off all summaries and and any averaging variables that are broadcast to a custom website. Not cool. The forum is pretty useless as its just a bunch of groupies that orbit the developer and tell him how awesome he is. 

Otherwise, the software is stable. In the relatively rare event that it crashes, it has a feature to automatically reboot the software which is quite nice. You can also export most of its data to a MySQL database. The data that appears there is accurate. You can make requests from that db with confidence.

EDIT: By "export" a MySQL database, I meant to say it has an SQL driver that will drop live values into a db.
« Last Edit: May 13, 2020, 03:27:38 PM by openvista »
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Offline stu-in-flag

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Re: Davis is failing Mac users
« Reply #27 on: August 08, 2022, 11:17:14 AM »
I'm glad this post floated back up. My humidity/dew point sensor is failing on my Vantage Vue. As I look at buying a new system, I think I will be looking elsewhere.


Offline DaveOnFidalgo

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Re: Davis is failing Mac users
« Reply #28 on: August 09, 2022, 02:41:10 PM »
My ultimate solution was going with WeatherLink Live.  The result wasn't as elegant as what I could do with the WL software, but it kept the website alive, and visitors didn't seem to care.  It was easy to use and simple to implement.  The iOS/iPadOS apps are very nice, and in the end would have been much cheaper to implement.  I have also changed my original premise, that Davis has failed Mac users.

First, I am neither an Apple nor a Microsoft groupie.  All I want is to just sit down and get my stuff done.  After 8 months struggling with the Mac mini, I eagerly and joyfully returned to Windows.  For me, everything seemed more difficult on the Mac, more steps, more menus, bizarre keystroke combos, and lots of Googling.  Since I use iPads and an iPhone, I thought switching to a Mac would allow everything to work together.  That turned out to be not true at all.  Compared to a Logitech, the Magic Keyboard was the worst I've ever used.  The Magic Mouse was really a track pad trying to be a mouse.  It did neither job very well.  Both were exploitatively overpriced, and had the habit of going dead without warning and needing recharging.  I looked at alternatives, but reviews indicated that after a MacOS update or two, Apple would boot them off.  Nice company. 

After this experience, it's not Davis who has failed Mac users, it's Apple who has failed Davis users.

Thanks to everyone for your interest.
VP2 6152-WL6.0.3-W8-USB-CW8017-KWANACO8
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Offline Snowda

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Re: Davis is failing Mac users
« Reply #29 on: August 17, 2022, 12:07:55 PM »
FWIW, your Mac experience is vastly different from ours. We were originally nearly 100% windows. Today we are nearly 100% Mac. MacOS is a much more stable/reliable platform than Windows. We don't worry about running shows or doing long edits on a Mac, we do on Windows. Some tasks in MacOS are indeed kind of kludgy vs Win, like moving files, but for us that's a small price to pay for a more powerful and more reliable system. The keyboard and trackpad loss of battery without warning is a bit of a PITA sometimes.

A friend who builds surveillance systems has moved to a mac platform due to stability/reliability problems with Windows. Mac Mini's and Mac Studio's are his only platform now.

Offline GHammer

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Re: Davis is failing Mac users
« Reply #30 on: August 22, 2022, 04:31:12 PM »
For my 2¢, if I were to leave the warm embrace of Windows, I'd go with a linux desktop. Likely Pop!OS
I have no problem with those who do not know enough about computers using Apple products. No issue with companies that insist their employees only get company data on an iPhone.
I personally have tried a MacMini. I gave it back when I found in order to get passingly good graphics I'd need an eGPU device and a compatible video card, NVidia needn't apply. So, besides the endless amount of 'No Apple does not allow you to (fill in the blank), turning off the interoperability between PC, phone, watch (ever wonder why your priority contacts iMessages aren't alerting you?), I was thankfully within the return period and happily did so.

I always like the "My friend did (whatever I'm trying to hype) and loves it"

Most of the folks with issue here really need to get a nice Chromebook and a Raspberry Pi. Between the two you will find a nice controlled experience for personal use and a bulletproof way to access your Davis data.

For now, I have my Win 11 desktop, the spouse's Win 11 desktop, 2 Chromebooks, 2 Pi, 2 Pop!OS servers (his and hers! Not really) The best device for the task. Note the utter lack of an Apple device.
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Online Mattk

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Re: Davis is failing Mac users
« Reply #31 on: August 22, 2022, 06:49:24 PM »
Things are getting to (we are probably there all ready) the stage where we are getting pushed further and further into systems/solutions that are not secure and being driven under this ridiculous pretense of "improving the user experience" by deliberate manipulation of smart system technology. Providers from the top down need to concentrate on what users want rather than their own interests. APP behavior is undermining user confidence in e-commerce but users continue to be told this is the future, this is what you have to do ... yeah says who?

Micro subscriptions have unfortunately become embedded by weather systems at the demise of perfectly good applications but which don't follow the accounts requirement to increase income 15% each and every year there after. Now users are duded both ways, they get your information AND a few $$'s every month       

Offline Aardvark

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Re: Davis is failing Mac users
« Reply #32 on: August 22, 2022, 08:42:35 PM »
I agree, but Davis is pushing their weatherlink system and not their software.  I don't believe they care, but you can use something like Weathercat  or Weatherlink for mac

 

anything