Re: Black box heaven or the real BDI

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., Ray <rehenry@u...> wrote:

>
> Fred
>
> <rant on> One thing that needs to be clarified in this black box

discussion

> -- in light of your repeated desire to learn nothing about Linux --

is that

> the black box is just that.

I'm neutral on the linux wars. The day that I can run Vector with
Wine, I will begin to support and push it in addition to Windows.
(Probably add it to the Vector CD if they will let me.) Until that
day I am still neutral(the emulators are OK, but they do require an
MS Windows license and that defeats the purpose IMHO). That is a
totally different subject however, than what I am talking about with
this thread.

> It has a net plug on one end, power in on one
> side, and motor signals and swtch pins on the other end. The

specific

> features of the pc inside the box makes little difference at all

except for

> size, price, and specifications for max pulses per second.

>The admonition,
> "no user or imserv servicable components or software" needs to be

printed in

> bold letters on the box and in our thinking. </rant>

THAT is exactly what this thread is about. THAT is what will make
EMC available to the masses, instead of just the linux guru.

"Keep the cotton pickin fingers out" would be a comforting
admonition, rather than something offensive.

The computer:

***Here is a general purpose piece of computing hardware, cheap.***

Becomes the black box:

***Add this software and it becomes a specific purpose dedicated
Milling machine controller, with high step rates, and a fairly broad
set of RS-274D commands supported, free.***

Still cheap.

> One could build a standalone emc, with the essential interfaces, to

run from

> 64 Meg ROM. A networked box with the gui and such elsewhere could

be cut

> down to 16 Meg. Real-time Linux can easily boot from a floppy.

Netboot,

> except for net identity, resides on 0 Meg ROM.
>
> The EMC running standalone on a light window manager needs no swap

with 64

> Meg RAM.

That means a much smaller Flash disk, and probably the 2 gig
harddrives that are in my computers are overkill too. Can I trade 32
meg RAM for some of the harddrive space and still be healthy, or am I
going to need to add another 32 meg?

How about a system that could start with a floppy, get on the network
and access the rest of the needed programs from a CD plugged in a
WIN/MAC/or uname it host, one time for setup. That would eliminate
the requirement for a CD drive. My thinking here is that the less
moving parts with doors that open and close, the better. A hard
drive is sealed so it should not be too much concern in a shop
environment. Between a floppy and a CD, I think the Floppy is
probably the more durable, both the media and the drive.


Best Regards,

Fred Smith
IMService