[Ovmsdev] Default values and fields...

[Greg D.]

Hi folks,

One thing I've noticed in setting up the OVMS module is that my
experience with the term "default" is a bit different than what we have
implemented.  In the past, I have come to expect "default" to mean "if
you don't do anything, you will get this".  Instead, we seem to be using
it to mean "unless you need to use something else, use this value".  In
the former case, one properly leaves the entry empty or otherwise
unchanged.  In the later case, we show the value, but it is up to the
user to actually configure it.  Leaving the entry in its default state
is not correct.

Where this most recently affected things was the automatic update to
version .006, which did not occur on time.  Investigating, there were a
couple of fields labeled with the default phrasing (e.g. the server
address) that were, as I thought instructed, left blank.  Filling them
in with the default contents and pressing save worked.  Next morning, I
awoke to .006 running on the module.  Yea! 

Oh, almost...  My timezone was also wrong.  It was set to -7 like I do
everywhere else, instead of PST8PDT.  Where did that come from?  My only
clue to this was that the new boot status display of time at last boot
said GMT instead of PDT.

Is this just my own weird view of the world?  Is it worth changing
either the on-screen instructions to clarify what action needs to be
taken, or should we actually implement (pre-configure) the defaults so
that no further action needs to be taken by the user?

My recollection is that this is not just with the webserver UI; the
command line setup is equally in need of active management, for example
to get the v2 server to connect.

There are lots of defaults all over the place, but none of them are
implemented by default.  At least we are consistent...

Greg