Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Throwing cold water at those weird Linux / EMC terms!!

ptengin@... wrote:

> In a message dated 06/26/2000 9:01:44 AM Hawaiian Standard Time,
> jmelson@... writes:
> The < RT patches >< kernel source >< tar balls >< RPM's >< X config >
>
> Jon >>
> Jon,
>
> I have not jumped onto the EMC/ Linux band wagon yet. Before I do,
> I need
> to figure out what the terms mean. Took me a while to figure out
> Windoze,
> Auto Cad, Bob Cad, G-code, etc, etc,. Is there a glossary or tutorial
> on how
> and what linux does in it's exchange with EMC?

Not really, but that is not the stuff that the user needs to know.
Linux with some flavor
of an X server (XFree86 is included with Red Hat Linux) is an operating
system with
a window-type user interface (screen presentation, menus, mouse control,
etc.).
EMC is the Enhanced Machine Control program, a very large piece of code
that
flexibly supports producing numerically controled motion of some
mechanical
system (classic milling machine or lathe, robot, hexapod, etc.) by
interpreting
commands in the RS-274D ("G-code") language. It also provides several
different user interfaces, a character-screen version, straight
X-windows, or
a user-modifiable Tk/TCL GUI (graphical user interface). The Tk/TCL
GUI is the one currently getting the most development attention, because
of the
ability to control other things, such as tool changers, pallet changers,
etc. as
well as the ease with which users could change the functionality or
screen
appearance of this component.

> We often have tar balls wash up on the beach.

Ah, fortunately, THESE tar-balls are less messy. This is "Unix-speak",
referring
to a compressed archive file, made using the tar (tape archive) utility.

The Windows user would be more likely to make and send zip files for the

same purpose. The functionality is VERY parallel to a zip file, with
the
ability to put files right back into the same directory tree structure
as they
came from, etc. The syntax for using tar may be a bit more cryptic, but
really
all you need to know is "tar xzvf filename.tgz", and you're a pro!

Jon