On Friday 25 December 2015 12:13:06 Sarah Armstrong wrote: > As always Stuart hit the nail . > totally agree , also people dont understand the many thousands of > hours that it must be by now > put in by all concerned , into producing what i concider to be an > outstanding peice of software . > > in a lot of cases, as neil suggests as well as others , companys would > like to use linuxcnc , but for the aspect of > configuration , and maintence to suit them . and or having someone to > shout at if it all goes wrong , which they can't do on a forum ! > and at the end of the day , the machines need to work , not sit idle > fine , but how many engineering companys have software people who are > also engineers ( stuart excepted ! ) > > so they like the idea of having someone else hold their hands , and in > most cases do what they cannot . > i.e programming or gui configuring . > And that right there says there is a market for such skills. Those who have the time should put a 1" in the trade rags and let potential clients know you are available.
> On 25 December 2015 at 16:31, Stuart Stevenson <stus...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Gentlemen, > > I had a machine tool dealer/long time personal friend stop by last > > week. I have known him since 1989. > > He tried to hire me as his service department in 1993. > > I have purchased three new machines and one used machine from him > > but no machines since I started putting controls on old iron. The > > Cinci at MPM is the used machine I purchased from him. > > I give you that as background. > > In 1997 I installed MDSI's OpenCNC on three 5 axis mills. > > He was apprised of the situation from the beginning. > > When I would explain what I was doing his eyes would glaze over as > > this information would not result in a machine sale for him. > > Last week he asked me if LinuxCNC has tool length compensation and > > cutter compensation and work piece offsets. After all these years he > > still had to ask as there is no way a control you download free can > > do anything real. I said yes and tried to explain to him about the > > LinuxCNC kinematics I wrote to correct the geometry on the Cinci 5 > > axis. Again, I saw the eyes glaze over. How could he make profit on > > the purchase of an old machine and installing a free control even if > > it was a better than new machine when you finished? > > I don't have a killer UI to show him. All I have is UI the operators > > will use but not tell people they prefer over other control UIs. The > > UI acceptance is critical as the person in control of the purse is > > not usually the one running the machine (in the environment of this > > conversation). The operator must be able to explain the benefits of > > using the control and without a sweet UI the explanation of benefits > > will never happen. The conundrum I see is without the prospect of > > commercial profit you will get no interest in implementation of > > LinuxCNC in the commercial world no matter how much better it is > > compared to as it is now with the software free and the developers > > giving their time without monetary compensation. Several years ago I > > had a dealer bring his importer for a visit. During the conversation > > I asked if they would allow me buy a machine without a control. > > After they discussed it for a minute they agreed to allow me to buy > > a new machine without a control. I was not in a position to take > > advantage at that time but I believe it could be done today (maybe > > easier). I have considered what it would be like to have a new > > machine with LinuxCNC controlling it at IMTS. That would be > > expensive and how would I be able to recover my expenses? It could > > easily cost USD50,000.00 to show a machine at IMTS. No doubt it > > would be fun but profitable? Probably not. For me that is not a > > problem as I like it the way it is now. You have a problem? Start on > > the solution. When you come to a hard spot ask for help. You will > > find help to solve your problem. How could it get any better? > > > > Embedded would/could be nice. > > Dedicated kernel would/could be nice. > > This seems to be a step closer to proprietary and away from the > > 'free' nature of what we have now. Again I say, I like it the way it > > is now. There are many questions regarding these steps not the least > > is maintenance. > > The developer/releaser of the embedded dedicated kernel would have a > > maintenance obligation at some level. That could be very expensive. > > I would hate to have to pay/back pay the current/prior slate of > > developers. What a contribution has been wrought from them. They > > somehow justify in their lives and I appreciate it. > > thanks > > Stuart > > > > -- > > Addressee is the intended audience. > > If you are not the addressee then my consent is not given for you to > > read this email furthermore it is my wish you would close this > > without saving or reading, and cease and desist from saving or > > opening my private correspondence. > > Thank you for honoring my wish. > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > >---------- _______________________________________________ > > Emc-developers mailing list > > Emc-developers@lists.sourceforge.net > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-developers Cheers, Gene Heskett -- "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order." -Ed Howdershelt (Author) Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Emc-developers mailing list Emc-developers@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-developers
