FlashCut in a Nutshell

Well, my ISP or this egroup accidentally dumped my mail delivery while
the Flashcut topic came up. Now that I re-conjiggled it, its working.

But, some things were brought up about Flashcut, and I could not
participate. And I am very opinionated !

Why do some like it so much ? It's not because its expensive, if that
was the case I'd have a new Hummer in the yard. (I don't I spent all my
cash on FlashCut!)

Why ? It's because to date, it is one of the very few that just plain
works. It's "Done", it Has been "Done", and it has Worked very well
under numerous different types of machinery.

When I say "Works", I mean, you could literally throw the program itself
to an "average Joe" right out of the box, and he could start making
parts *without* having to build computers, fiddle with source code, read
a pile of manuals that are poorly written, wait for this or that to be
added, watch for updates, download updates, spend hours trying to figure
out confusing wiring diagrams and any other jazz... Heck, he would not
even need to read THIS group everyday to see if something new was out
there!

I'm saying "Put the 16 bit version on a box, any MS-OS equipped box, and
run it". The simple point and click interface is unmistakable, clearly
laid out, and because of that, has been almost copied by others. There
are a lot of OEMs that use it for the reasons I mention. But I am not
done !

What else makes it a good choice ? Even for a beginner or hobbiest ??
Being a "Windows controller" eliminates the need for a hobbiest to have
additional computers in the beginning. When the time comes, virtually
Zero knowledge is necessary to network two computers in the future,
which obviously creates THE separation all of us developed a "need" for,
One computer for drawing, one for controlling.

Their method of the "black box" design via Serial Port was brilliant and
is also why it is now being copied or attempted to be copied. It caused
NO problems with security dongles for cad/cam programs that many
wrestled with unlike some controllers I have had to work on. Left
parallel ports open for printers, why even letting laptop owners travel
with small machines to far away places.

Did I say Small ? The whole Flashcut 16 bit application fit on a floppy
disk... It didn't write anything to your registry either ! The newer 32
bit version will not be much larger either.

We all know the complaints about the 16 bit version... No Diameter
Compensation..... Can't easily change feedrate while running a file.....
too slow.... bla bla bla. C'mon, Admit it! The only Real complaint was
the thousand bucks !! I personally know fellows who spent more than
$1000 looking for the ultimate "answer" cause they were going to "do it"
for less and ended up buying FlashCut anyhow. So, they had double the
money spent. So much for frugality...... Admittedly, Even I have a few
"spares" laying around from "doing it for less"!

What is super impressive is the direction of the new 32 bit release.
Those lucky enough to be beta testers understand. It is going to cover
all those older missing "issues" very well and because of its well
thought out "groundwork" open the doors for numerous configurable
options not possible by the 16 bit source code. Better Motion routines,
Better viewing options, better, better better.....

Best ?? C'mon, Not for that kind of money.... I feel 1K is still within
reach of the hobbiest. If not, your not using your tax options correctly
! Many of us have seen machines running full 3d toolpaths with
incredible control. Smooth, fast, quite,.... Those controls were big
bucks.

If I was to be very honest about a control with continuous contouring,
Indexer probably is the best I've seen for smooth multiaxis motion under
1K. But, until recently, that had interface "Issues" making it difficult
at best. This group really needs information from a current Indexer user
as to how that new G-code interface is working! On the topic of Indexer.
(Has anyone got an idea how they got that full time on the fly
Potentiometer speed/feed control retro'd into that program ? I always
was told that under Continuous motion, Feed overrides can be extremely
confusing to implement on a low budget control.)

Please note that my opinion addresses FULL FlashCut packages for most
people..... because NO program I have dealt with is exempt from
occasional hardware incompatabilities............. If you are ambitious,
handy, looking for adventure...love the challenge..... Use three
different drivers with Flashcut for all I care... I've done it.
Sometimes it works, sometimes not. That goes for any controller I've
retro'd.....

I admit I have not had the time to try some of the newer, impressively
inexpensive options discussed in this group, and I'm not here to bash
them either. Well, Ok, I did load BDI on an old P100 box, but realized I
personally do not have the time to mess with it right now. Linux in
General is something you have to *want to learn, and you *need time to
do it. Most BDI guys report their share of "fiddling" to make it do what
they want too. What is your time worth ?? What BDI did do for me was to
kindle my interest in Linux a bit more, but, probably along the lines of
"Xandros" (xandros.com) for starters. We''ll see where that takes me,
I've had enough of MS......

I do want to try Mach ?... But I'll wait till it's done. I do not want
to purchase it now, find out I need to get different hardware to make it
happy. I don't have time for more Beta testing or software
development...
If it only ran on XP, I'd never get it ! And, if XP is the future, I
wonder what will happen with PC based Controllers in general.... As many
times as I have formatted or swapped hardware for Controller testing,
I'd been on the phone with some ditz getting 60 digit passwords for
re-activation more often than working. XP stinks.

Hopefully, I will have the opportunity to run WindeskNC soon as well. A
friend is going to try it. I have heard favorable remarks about both. I
have also heard remarks in regards things missing, not done, etc. That
is NOT to say they won't be the best control ever made someday. Someday,
the "controller wars" can only be proved with a side by side comparison
on the same machine. Oh, and by the way, since my exposure to
FlashCut... Well, DOS is Dead ! Get used to it. The best part is we
don't need it anymore.

I'm not "bent" in my ways.... If a $200 controller is spectacular, I'd
be the first one to indicate my feelings about it.

My opinion is just that right now, Flashcut Still is, yes Still is a
really safe bet, maybe the safest bet, especially for beginners, those
who want to cut rather than fiddle, OR when some of us need to give
advise to schools looking for economical retrofits.

There is a different class kids take when they want to "mess" with
computer software and hardware configurations. In Shop Class, they want
to make parts. That puts me OT, so I'm outta here !

just a user, and "control watcher",
Chris L