Smooth Steppers are finally available in UK !

[Jonathan]

erm..Mach 4 is under (very) active development, and Mach 3 has been continually tweeked(sic).

I'm sure Mach 4 will be a huge improvement on Mach 3, but I don't see how it's possible for Art to deal with the issues that Windows has. Fair enough, he's a good developer, but he's limited by the platform he's working on and that's a huge factor that's well beyond his control. I might be the world's best Aerospace engineer, but if I'm only given playdough to work with, then no matter how much effort I go to, it's impossible for me to make a good plane.

Still can't handle anything without a parallel port though ;)

This issue has been done to death: It's not a case of "can't" it's a case of "doesn't want to" - LinuxCNC revolves around a very versatile and well developed core which runs on a computer. As soon as you use something other than the parallel port, to maintain realtime you need to decode the GCode outside the computer, essentially you need to outsource the controller to an outside box. You will never be able to have as good a controller running on a microcontroller/FPGA than on a computer (some industrial controllers do it, but check out the cost) and that's why linuxCNC developers insist on keeping the controller within the computer. The decision is there with good reason and I agree with it.

Now for most users, are they going to go with the more familiar, or less familiar option?

You've missed out a lot of rather critical factors there, so that's a bit of a misleading question. Let's compare the two options properly? For arguments sake I'm going to assume you already have a computer and that we've bought a low latency PCI Parallel port card for it because they're £6 from eBay.


Mach/SS:
Pros: Familiar, DIY standard.
Cons: Doesn't support some obscure machines/extras.
Cost: Windows >£50, Mach3 >£50, Smoothstepper about £150, Total:>£250
What you have to lose if you want to switch to the alternative: A few hours of your time, >£250.


LinuxCNC:
Pros: Supports everything. Runs well on old computers. Extremely customizable.
Cons: Unfamiliar software environment. Doesn't support things without a Parallel port.
Cost: N/A
What you have to lose if you want to switch to the alternative: A few hours of your time.


Now if the 'unfamiliar software environment' is so scary to 'most users' that they're not willing to even try it before spending hundreds of pounds, then my advice to them is firstly to educate themselves (that's what the forums are for) and secondly to deal with that irrational fear of the unknown.

Little Known is the fact Emc owe's much to Art and his knowledge of the PP and indeed use's some of his code.

I did some more research and found the following things: EMC was first developed by NIST in 1993 and released 'around 2000' while Artsoft went into business in 2001. The only links I found indicate that Mach borrowed from EMC and not the other way around (people love to jump to conclusions, I *AM NOT* saying there's anything wrong with this). If anyone has more info please do let me know:
"This software[Mach] is derived from the EMC software from NIST and expands on the good features of EMC."
http://www.pmdx.com/Resources
"Yes, and we could also convert EMC into Mach. That's what Art Fenerty did some years ago, we mostly wished him well, but we had specific and we feel QUITE valid reasons for staying with the real-time servo model."
http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.lin...emc.devel/2006

So I could use a mini PC, these do not come with Parallel ports...

They most certainly do, there are plenty with parallel ports. Even if there weren't you would be able build one cheaply as I suggested above. If you want some guarantee of good performance then get one of the good ones from the list I posted earlier. The intel Atoms are popular and have good latency.

I would like to keep the PC away from the machine

You have a number of options:
1) TRY a shielded 10m parallel cable, it may well work with no problems and it's not particularly expensive from eBay.
2) Extend your stepper cables, they can be extended as much as you need although the cable is about £1.20 per meter per motor.
3) Get a wireless mouse and keyboard and extend the monitor into another room, unless you literally don't have space for the PC in which case disregard this option

Jonathan I find it very Sad that you've gone to all the trouble of traweling thru old posts

I've not trawled through anything. I remember most things that are said to me, particularly insults so I did one google search. The post which your reply referred started with "As far as I'm aware", no assumptions, just a hypothesis, yet you chose to reply in an extremely aggressive way anyway. It's perfectly in context.

With the Know-it-all arrogance that comes with youth

So you're basically trying to take the moral high ground by saying I'm wrong because I'm young? Or because you think I'm not allowed to have an opinion until I've seen the smoothstepper in action? I disagree: you might not believe in theory and prediction but I do. If you don't trust your logical deduction and common sense when predicting things, fair enough. Don't try to stop me voicing mine (or do, I honestly don't care). You might want to have a read of this page as well: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem

so they call it a day cut there loses never to return going back to the potting shed

And nothing of value was lost. I would much prefer quality over quantity in the community. If they choose to give up without even asking a question or two on the forums, then I'm not lowering my standards to their level just so they grace the community with their presence. I'm there to provide support to anyone who asks for it, and my conscience is clear. In my opinion, if you have a problem with being a geek, DIY CNC isn't the right hobby for you. If anything I think the fact that LinuxCNC is free attracts newbies because they don't have to commit to buying a mach license to try all but the simplest code, like in this thread for example:
http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/arc...p/t-46797.html

Apparently people are under the impression I have a problem with Art or Artsoft. If my previous posts gave that impression, then it wasn't intentional. I'm sure Art is a great guy and he's done a lot for the community. I never disputed that.