So sorry for this long post but I really need some advice regarding MicroShaft dropping support for Windows 7. It’s better to have the info.

Please, PLEASE, help.

TL;DR - will I be able to run Universal Gcode Sender under Linux with a Leo Bodnar Button-box interface... and is Linux hard to install and learn from someone who has just ran windows since version 3.11.


So a bit of background regarding my CNC...

I’ve been running (and upgrading) various parts of my Openbuilds Ox (with a CNC xPro mk3 running GRBL 1.1f) since 2016... and I’ve even made a control panel for it with a Leo Bodnar USB Button Box interface as it handles rotary encoders (for the MPG jog dial and real time overrides) really easily.

For a hobby machine I both love and hate it. Love it because it’s really easy to operate now (the control panel is great because I no longer accidentally hit the keyboard and the buttons are behind shields)... but hate it because general maintenance is a PAIN! Whoever designed it never gave a thought to it ever having a problem... yeah, right.

I’ve got a bunch of it torn down at the moment for said winter maintenance (and fix some wiring problems.. namely crappy solder connections causing intermittent connections on my SuperPID and temp monitors for Vacuum and Control box... apparently my control box went from 19.5 degrees to 43 degrees for a while... then -17 before coming back to 19 degrees) when I realised I was running out of time regarding Win7 becoming abandonware REALLY darn soon. I was basically painting the door to my house when the foundation was about to crumble... doh!

Do I move over to Win10?... I don’t even know if this pc will even RUN Win10.

Do I make the move to Linux? I last used a Unix based system back in the late 80’s... I no longer have “Got Root” (sorry... old programmer joke) so would mean a lot of learning to do... which is hard.

My problem is if I go the Linux route (root lol) I will have to do a bunch of relearning and will have to replace Joy2Key (the package I use to link the Leo Bodnar Button-Box to Universal GCode Sender Platform).

Oh and I’m nearly 60... so my brain isn’t as good as it used to be. Learning Linux actually scares he crap out of me lol.

There is one thing I could do... airgap the machine and only transfer data over via thumb drive...but that’s gonna be a faff as I currently use my network to send my GCode to my Ox. It’s great as I only have to post process on my main design PC and BAM it’s on my Ox.

Soooo, any suggestions on what should I do. And please don’t say “get a better CNC” as I can’t really afford it.

TL;DR - will I be able to run Universal Gcode Sender under Linux with a Leo Bodnar Button-box interface... and is Linux hard to install and learn from someone who has just ran windows since version 3.11.