Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: CNC Control software recommendations

> Alex wrote:
>
>
> > The reason that my company and many others use some sort of proprietary software is product liability.
> >
> > If we were to use something like EMC and lets says some wise-ass hacker, I mean employee, decides he is smarter than everyone else and decides to changes some code in the cnc control. Then his not to bright co-worker gets on this newly hacked cnc control and due to the hacked code, the quill drives directly into the table, sheering off the end mill and hits this poor guy in the family jewels, guess who his lawyer calls? You guessed it, my company. The lawyer will say, "How could a big company like ABC, Inc put such an open source system in a machine tool environment with out any software safe guards or lock outs. The poor guy might not have his family jewels but now has the money to buy 'GOLD ONES" !
> >
> > If I implement any lock outs or safe guards then I am accused of being a proprietary cnc control.

Baloney! If this were true, the machines would have control cabinets with locks
that could only be opened by factory service men, and tool carousels that couldn't
be acessed by the plant personnel, and all cutting programs would have to
be run through verifiers at the factory before they could be loaded into a
machine control. Editing programs on the machine would be strictly impossible,
not just prohibited - like no keyboard at all. The reason they don't like open
software is because they can't charge thousands of $ for software anyone can
download off the net.

<Matt Shaver wrote :>

> If I read you right, your concern is that some _user_ changes the code
> and causes mayhem that you get hung for. If so, there are several solutions:
>
> 1. Don't install development tools on the machines you ship.
>
> 2. Password protect configuration files, or put them (or the whole
> system for that matter) on read only media. An example would be that
> your system booted from and ran from a CDROM (can be done today). You'd
> probably need a hard drive for program storage, but there would be NO
> user alterable files that affect system operation.
>
> You might say, "But then it would be a proprietary system!". Not so. A
> _skilled_ person could still make changes, but they would have to go to
> some trouble and this would go a long way toward elimanating your
> liability. As an example, some yahoo could make changes to the
> parameters of a Fanuc control and cause the same type of problems that
> you listed, but the manufacturer would disclaim liability because the
> changes were unauthorised and they couldn't be made inadvertantly.
> Whoever made the changes had to go to considerable trouble. If someone
> went to the trouble of downloading the source code, making changes,
> recompiling, and burning a new boot CD, I think you'd be in the clear.
> Or at least as "in the clear" as you would be with any other system
> since they're all at least somewhat user configurable.
>
> I am all in favor of idiot proofing.

The user can cause FAR more mayhem with a carelessly written program.
Just change one word, and use a - when you meant plus. And, you
can cause plenty of mayhem just pushing the wrong button. I've shattered
a few tools, and brought a boring head down on my hand, once, just by
pushing the wrong button.

Jon