Merry Christmas everyone! I was probably dumb to start this topic because it's turning into a "Linux is wonderful and why doesn't everyone see that?" stream of comments.
Maybe start with some definitions of what exactly an OS (Operating System) is? 1. Serves as an interface between computer programs and the hardware. A reasonable reference is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system So although the wiki does state this about the Linux name: "It was soon merged with the GNU user space components and system software to form a complete operating system. Since then, the combination of the two major components has usually been referred to as simply "Linux" by the software industry, a naming convention that Stallman and the Free Software Foundation remain opposed to, preferring the name GNU/Linux." LinuxCNC is a GNU user space component until you add the Real Time side of things to provide determinism which then makes it again a combination of GNU/Linux with a user space component that is LCNC with a variety of user interfaces. And my point of starting this discussion thread was to point out that the LCNC that we work with could be on a lot more hobby systems if the user interface and installation was upgraded to _Never_ever_have_to_use_the_command_line_or_text_editors_to_handle_or_modify_installation or do a number of standard operations. And before someone else brings it up I totally agree that entering G-Codes; http://linuxcnc.org/docs/html/gui/axis.html#_mdi or working with G-Code programs requires a text editor. That’s true of any proper CNC system at some level. The best example I can think of is my new touch probe. It has a light. I can use the jog/mpg method to move the axis and watch the LED in the probe come on and then set 0. Jog to the other side and touch off. Then use the calculator to determine the midpoint, jog to that and set zero position. Been doing that with my DRO-350 for years other than it has a FCN button that automatically sets the zero for me when it reaches the second touch point and is electrically connected to the probe input on the DRO-350 hardware. But with this screen https://github.com/verser-git/probe_screen_v2 most of what is needed is done automatically. Unfortunately it still requires editing the INI and HAL files and somethings don't automatically work correctly. Contrast that with the much less powerful MACH3 system where you select from the menu "Config/Ports and Pins/Input Signals/Probe". And then there is simple touch off operations under "Offsets(Alt-5)" Other MACH3 screens are possibly more sophisticated. And perhaps the best example of all is the Tormach LCNC interface which also simplifies things because in this case the hardware is known. So if you are content with command line/editor operations great. I'm happy it's working for you. But if we want more users involved in the LCNC community something has to change. IMHO. John Dammeyer _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
