Actor Framework Future After I Leave NI

[AristosQueue (NI)]

My time at NI is coming to a close. Later this month, I will become a full-time G programmer for SpaceX ground control.

I'm trying to make sure that all my various projects end up in good hands. Prime among my concerns is the LabVIEW Actor Framework.

The Actor Framework long ago ceased to be my personal project. At this point, issues with it are handled like any other part of LabVIEW, with multiple LabVIEW R&D team members able to respond to customer questions and concerns. I am not concerned at all for the technical support side of Actor Framework. And we just went live with a brand new Actor Framework customer education course, so the training aspects are all shored up for the foreseeable future.

The one piece I was worried about was monitoring of this forum. I'll still be able to respond from time to time, but I expect my attention to be far less. And there are plenty of customers who are deep experts in AF who regularly answer questions. What was missing was someone within NI who knew the AF and was monitoring posts to make sure NI as a whole stays aware of community needs. Well, it turns out that Darren Nattinger has been working on AF code lately and has all the same ties back to LV R&D that I have. Darren has agreed to monitor the forum going forward. That will make sure that the community is well cared for.

AF has been one of my favorite projects at NI. I'm thrilled with how much it has grown and all the projects it has empowered. You've been a great bunch of customers, with great suggestions and a willingness to help each other out. Thank you.

[BertMcMahan]

Thanks again for the framework, AQ. It's made my life considerably better and has made some customers some very nice software 🙂 You will be missed.

[Oli_Wachno]

Thanks for you commitment, AQ!

I still remember your AF introduction presentation in 2012 in Newbury at the first European CLA Summit.

As a freshly-baken architect it was intriguing to see what is possible with this framework. Though I have to admit in order to grasp the things going on in the background I needed a considerable amount of coffee and sweets 😉

All the best for your new endeavour, you will surely be missed!

[HB@BNT]

Hi AQ

Just viewed the recorded session of your talk concerning interfaces at NI Connect 2022. Very good talk. I will definitely read the decisions behind the design of interfaced in LabVIEW. 

I remember the first launch of ARIANE V. The person responsible for the self-destruction was very successful, but was not allowed to be happy in public. 

I wish you good success with your new challenges at SpaceX. 

All the best for your future. 

Best Holger 

[DoctorAutomatic]

I like to believe that our dear friend and teacher (I have learned so much from AQ's posts) had a hand in that spectacular catch of a 70 meter tall (16 story building) returning from space the other day. It was literally one of my first thoughts when I saw THE VIDEO  of it. I guess they have him working pretty hard because he hasn't posted much, but AQ, if you see this, congratulations and thanks for all your past contributions to LabVIEW that continue to enable all of us G programmers.

[AristosQueue]

Mine was a minor hand. My software team mostly works on Falcons and Dragons, but we do assist with Starship. But I thank you. It was a success a long time in coming and bodes well for our collective multiplanetary future! 

If any G programmers have an interest in rockets, every domestic private space company that I know and most of the foreign ones outside of China use LabVIEW to varying degrees (China may as well but getting info about their programs has proven extremely hard for me). Most of the satellite firms do, too. LabVIEW may be a niche language, but it's a sexy niche!