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 Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
