5 ms·

First: That's absolutely fantastic. Congratulations to everyone, etc. Second: I'm a bit disturbed that they are using Chromium + some javascript framework as

by tpmx 6y ago

First: That's absolutely fantastic. Congratulations to everyone, etc. Second: I'm a bit disturbed that they are using Chromium + some javascript framework as the UI layer in the Crew Dragon. There was a sequence when Bob and Doug were debugging the local UI layer. I guess it was a good thing that didn't happen at a critical part of the flight. Edit: And I write this having spent 10 years working in a browser company in an engineering/engineering management role. I believe I have a decent understanding of the risks. Going with a browser-based UI for something as critical as this is insane, IMHO.

jniedrauer 6y ago
Browsers are the new operating system. This trend is only going to become more ubiquitous over time.
- mlindner 6y ago
  It's not used as an operating system, only as a GUI.
runawaybottle 6y ago
Haters gonna hate.
HPsquared 6y ago
I missed that part... what happened with the UI layer?
- tpmx 6y ago
  It believe it happened around 06:00-08:00 UTC earlier today. I got the play-by-play from https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/hzbqwn/rspacex_demonstration_mission2_crew_return/ https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/hzbqwn/rspacex_demo... when I was waking up (european time) but it seems like you can't really view all of the comments of a 3000+ comment thread. :( Hopefully someone who payed attention for real can chime in.
  - zoomablemind 6y ago
    The ground control explained that the problem was with Timeline app on Cmdr. Behnken's iPad. Somehow it was displaying wrong time point after disconnecting from wifi. Interim analysis suggested that the problem was related to bad cache and .. for some reason would be only addressed once landed. Apparently, this was due to mis-sync before switching wifi off. Meanwhile, the recommendation was to take the timeline snapshots from Cmdr. Hurley's iPad and AirDrop them over. A funny moment was when ground control asked the astronauts to turn off wifi and switch to the Airplane mode. Shouldn't it be renamed to Spaceship mode? :)
    - tpmx 6y ago
      Thanks!
kgraves 6y ago
I'm quite disturbed they aren't using Rust :(
zaroth 6y ago
I made the same comment in another thread, but if you check the stream you can see they debugged an issue with an auxiliary app running on an actual iPad mini, not an issue with the apps running on the main screens mounted in front of the seats.
- tpmx 6y ago
  Okay. Do you have a timestamp to the event (in the stream)?
  - zaroth 6y ago
    The other thread had it; https://youtu.be/13OkD0C_TWU?t=15045 https://youtu.be/13OkD0C_TWU?t=15045 Note they are talking about Safari and Airplane Mode, and when the Dragon feed comes back up you can see the iPad in the astronaut’s hand.
    - tpmx 6y ago
      Listened to it - got it, thanks; yeah, that makes sense. The Dragon crew displays won't be running something called Safari. I get to eat crow now. :) Still: I'm kinda skeptical of the use of chromium + javascript for anything life-critical.
      - _Microft 6y ago
        The can do all the important things using the hardware keys and buttons under the screen from what I know.
syshum 6y ago
I know right, clearly they should be using WinXP with IE and an active X control :)
mlindner 6y ago
It's a modified Chromium + javascript, but it's only for visual presentation, all the software for actually reading and acting on that data isn't in javascript. > There was a sequence when Bob and Doug were debugging the local UI layer. I guess it was a good thing that didn't happen at a critical part of the flight. No that didn't happen. They had an issue with an ipad they use for displaying a schedule.
- tpmx 6y ago
  Yeah, you're right - I was mistaken about that. > It's a modified Chromium + javascript, but it's only for visual presentation, all the software for actually reading and acting on that data isn't in javascript. So, chromium + js for the UI, and c++ for the web server backend, right? You're still depending on an insanely large piece of code (chromium) and javascript for actually showing the data, and collecting the input events.

by tpmx 6y ago

jniedrauer 6y ago

Browsers are the new operating system. This trend is only going to become more ubiquitous over time.

mlindner 6y ago
It's not used as an operating system, only as a GUI.

runawaybottle 6y ago

Haters gonna hate.

HPsquared 6y ago

I missed that part... what happened with the UI layer?

tpmx 6y ago
It believe it happened around 06:00-08:00 UTC earlier today. I got the play-by-play from https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/hzbqwn/rspacex_demonstration_mission2_crew_return/ https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/hzbqwn/rspacex_demo... when I was waking up (european time) but it seems like you can't really view all of the comments of a 3000+ comment thread. :( Hopefully someone who payed attention for real can chime in.
- zoomablemind 6y ago
  The ground control explained that the problem was with Timeline app on Cmdr. Behnken's iPad. Somehow it was displaying wrong time point after disconnecting from wifi. Interim analysis suggested that the problem was related to bad cache and .. for some reason would be only addressed once landed. Apparently, this was due to mis-sync before switching wifi off. Meanwhile, the recommendation was to take the timeline snapshots from Cmdr. Hurley's iPad and AirDrop them over. A funny moment was when ground control asked the astronauts to turn off wifi and switch to the Airplane mode. Shouldn't it be renamed to Spaceship mode? :)
  - tpmx 6y ago
    Thanks!

kgraves 6y ago

I'm quite disturbed they aren't using Rust :(

zaroth 6y ago

I made the same comment in another thread, but if you check the stream you can see they debugged an issue with an auxiliary app running on an actual iPad mini, not an issue with the apps running on the main screens mounted in front of the seats.

tpmx 6y ago
Okay. Do you have a timestamp to the event (in the stream)?
- zaroth 6y ago
  The other thread had it; https://youtu.be/13OkD0C_TWU?t=15045 https://youtu.be/13OkD0C_TWU?t=15045 Note they are talking about Safari and Airplane Mode, and when the Dragon feed comes back up you can see the iPad in the astronaut’s hand.
  - tpmx 6y ago
    Listened to it - got it, thanks; yeah, that makes sense. The Dragon crew displays won't be running something called Safari. I get to eat crow now. :) Still: I'm kinda skeptical of the use of chromium + javascript for anything life-critical.
    - _Microft 6y ago
      The can do all the important things using the hardware keys and buttons under the screen from what I know.

syshum 6y ago

I know right, clearly they should be using WinXP with IE and an active X control :)

mlindner 6y ago

It's a modified Chromium + javascript, but it's only for visual presentation, all the software for actually reading and acting on that data isn't in javascript. > There was a sequence when Bob and Doug were debugging the local UI layer. I guess it was a good thing that didn't happen at a critical part of the flight. No that didn't happen. They had an issue with an ipad they use for displaying a schedule.

tpmx 6y ago
Yeah, you're right - I was mistaken about that. > It's a modified Chromium + javascript, but it's only for visual presentation, all the software for actually reading and acting on that data isn't in javascript. So, chromium + js for the UI, and c++ for the web server backend, right? You're still depending on an insanely large piece of code (chromium) and javascript for actually showing the data, and collecting the input events.