Mach3 vs LinuxCNC/EMC What do you use and why?

[Lee Roberts]

Why not just be content in using what you are most comfortable with.

Exactly, I think most people do. (choice)

Linux does allow you to get under the bonnet and what you do with it is swings and roundabouts. Linux will always be better and still be around way after windows has died :-)

So dose windows if you know how to use it or should that say "if you're familiar with it" or "comfortable with it", i guess it comes down to the individual, sure windows makes it easy to change some things, but so dose linux. You know it will, given microsoft started out by writing apps for a different os and failing consistently at it, only once somthing changed did they do a good job and then they went of and made their own os. Like Mr Jobs, i'm still waiting for a windows os to show me something that the original os's out there are not already doing or haven't done before.

I fail to see how familiarity with the OS helps to run LinuxCNC, since you don't need to make any changes to or with the OS to use it.

Me too, my comments below sum up my thoughts on this.

That'll be because the 'puter doesn't build itself, then load the OS itself,then load the app itself - that all needs a human to oversee & if there's a hiccup anywhere, then that's why you need to know your way around the OS ....sure it's not rocket science, but it's a possible time overhead most don't need to incur, because most are using a CNC app running on windows just fine. (or to use the useful Maxim "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!")

I agree that allot of people know their way around a windows os, however i think there is a point being missed by some on this. Doing somthing in a flavor of linux is just as easy as doing the same on a windows os, other than the "time it takes" because the individual may not be so familiar with a linux os.

I dont see why one would need to fall into any kind of category (geek or otherwise) to use linux. I would also put money on the table that installing a linux distro is just as easy if not easier and quicker than installing a windows os. It's about the individual and people, linux has had a number of GUI's for years now guys. This “Linux is for geeks” chant is a load of rubbish if you ask me, linux is just different to what your probably used to seeing/using but its no harder to use.

If there is somthing i dont know about that needs to be done on a windows os that cant be done on a linux box then tell me, if there’s a procedure that needs to be done, share it with us. If i'm wrong, i say im wrong.

Once upon a time John I would have agreed with you that it did take a certain type of person to use or get on with a Linux system but times have changed and like I said above GUI’s have been out for a long time and while an individual would have some aesthetics to get used to, i dont think now days they would need to overcome anything more complicated then learning to use a windows based system for the first time.

That’s what’s cool here though!, we have choice and choice mean’s there is no need for change, only choice.

I appreciate that "most people" are familiar with a windows os and this could be an advantage to them when building a system to run their cnc machine but i dont agree that performing an individual task is harder to do on a linux system now days. Like i said though, if there is somthing you know of that has to be done or is difficult to do on a linux system when you want to use it to run machine control software then please share it with us, i stand to be corrected.

.Me