On Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 08:00, Jeff Epler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 12:34:36PM +0000, alan wrote: >> So really my query is also about the future. Where will emc go if >> parallel ports become a thing of the past? > > It can go to systems that still have parallel ports, even after they > become unusual in new consumer PCs. > > It can go to systems where parallel ports are available on pci and > post-pci add-on cards. > > It can go to systems where non-parport dumb I/O cards are available. > > It can go to pci and post-pci internal busses using intelligent cards > like the mesa 5i20. (this is the path I personally favor) > > It can go into embedded systems that are as powerful as today's desktop > PCs, but with appropriate I/O (e.g., PC/104) > > It can go in ways I haven't even considered in writing this e-mail. > Whatever someone develops and contributes to emc, that's where emc will > go. > > All that said, for the time being it is simply not a good idea to buy a > machine without a parport or PCI slot. I would 100% stay away from > laptops. > > It is not a good idea to buy a laptop for emc (even one with a parallel > port), because typically you have to choose between leaving SMI > interrupts enabled (which will introduce huge, stall-inducing delays > between steps) or disabling them and (according to Intel CPU and chipset > documentation) burning up the system because fans and other thermal > management techniques like CPU throttling may not work correctly > without SMI interrupts. > > Cast-off Pentium-III or AMD Athlon desktops are probably the best > systems to seek out to run emc today. > > Jeff > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's challenge > Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great prizes > Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world > http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users >
As Jeff said, I'd stay away from laptops. Some have severe latency problems. Our 2nd CNC box was an IBM PIII/800 from someone's trash. A 2Gig HD got it running. Our current machine (#3) came from an office where they were getting rid of old equipment. It was a P4/1.6. I dropped a P4/2.66G in it, bumped the memory to 512 and it runs EMC fine. I took its 40G HD for myself and put a 10G in it. There are good finds in dumpster diving, curb shopping and being lucky. Another office cleanout resulted in 12 PIII/1G, 256MB machines with 40G HDs. A few of them had PCI parport cards for additional I/O. Check out the local thrift shops too. They will dump machines that have simple problems like dead HDs, etc. It's amazing what people throw away. -- First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win. Emory ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's challenge Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great prizes Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
