RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Microsoft has been watching

> azdlb wrote:
>
> >"Microsoft released the preview version of a software toolkit for
> >building robot applications today, pledging to ignite the robot

market

> >in the same way it did the PC market some 20 years ago."
> >
> >"The software maker sees robotics as being on the verge of a rapid
> >take-off, fuelled by the availability of cheap, high-performance
> >hardware components. But the market is being held back by a need for

> >better tools and a common software platform that will let

applications

> >be reused on different types of robots, according to Microsoft."
> >
> >How about them apples.
> >
> >
> Microsoft will do its best to cripple the robot industry as they have

> crippled
> many other industries with their bloated, buggy, insecure software.
> Hopefully,
> they will have little success here.
>
> "Common software platform" means something you have to pay Microsoft
> a hefty fee to use.
>
> EMC, of course, already supports any form of robot, with any

combination

> of linear
> and rotary axes you desire.
>
> I'm not sure what flavor/level of robotics they are interested in,

but

> I'm sure the
> makers of industrial robots who have a 30-year head start are not too

> worried.
>
> Jon
>

Blah blah M$ $ucks, what's wrong with what we have, Linux roolz, get off
my lawn blah blah.

I guess you've forgotten what the computer industry was like a bit over
25 years ago. (cue 'I used punch tape and valves blah blah so I know
best' story.) Everyone happy off doing their own thing. It sucked.
IBM was the giant back then, and as the giant, they set the rules for
the future. Imagine life without the IBM PC. And before you say
'Apple', they'd have the same market share they have now, the other 95%
would be split amongst 20 or 30 other makers, like it was 'way back
then'. Even Microsoft managed to set a standard back then, they ported
Basic to just about everything.

Robotics, CNC etc is mostly still back in the old days, mainly because
the market isn't all that big. The $ are there, but not the numbers.
There are no giants to set the rules (how many flavours of G-Code are
there?), so Microsoft could be big enough to set a standard.

This could be great, a way to bring motion control out of the pre-"DOS"
days. Sure, there are a few standards, lighting springs to mind, but
they are far from universal.

As for the encumbents with the 30-year head start, anyone who has read
even the slightest bit of history knows that you either evolve or die.
Like IBM, they did both!

Sure, the Microsoft stuff will be 'toys'. And everyone knows toys are
useless. Like hydraulic diggers, the PC, rockets, airplanes, all
derided as useless toys. Get on board or get run over. Your choice.

Tony