You'd be better off setting up a Linux server to start and switching over to
Star Office- This will get everyone on a office suite that is a
cross-platform program. This saves you the cost of purchasing NT, Backoffice
and a bunch of other $$$$$expensive add-ons to get everything you'd get with
the Deluxe Mandrake Box from MacMillan or the Mandrake power pack. This will
give you interoffice e-mail & allow access to the internet through the server
acting as a firewall. I'd check into putting MySQL or Oracle 8i on the system
for inventory tracking & control. My brother does CNC machining and uses
Mastercam, so I have an idea of what is required there. I doubt if you'll find
a robust CNC package for Linux yet, but I may be wrong. Do you need to set up
your tool paths on your PC? Do you need to check your tool paths before
downloading? How many axes is the machine, 3-1/2 or 4? Do you use parametrics
or solid model design? Do you need photo quality renderings of the designs?
These are the things you'll need to look for.
As far as the issue of viewing drawings goes, most CAD programs will save a
file in postscript format and Linux has several postscript viewers that can be
used.
Linux can handle many of your needs, but because it is really just breaking
into other mainstream areas outside of the server market, some areas need a
lot of development. Industrial applications such as you're doing, PLC's,
process controls, and SCADA systems are some of the areas where very little
development has been done when compared to server and desktop applications.
(This is sad because Linux is much more reliable than NT and from what I've
been told, it's easier to isolate and fix a broken process in Linux too.)
Linux can do a lot, but a great disservice can be done to the perception of
Linux as a stable and powerful OS if it's pushed into use doing things it's
not quite ready for yet. Although as an OS it can readily handle all these
tasks, application development is not there yet.
So to sum it up for your use- Office software, yes. Accounting, maybe. Server.
definitely. Firewall and interoffice communications, go for it. Web Server,
you bet. CAD, CAM, & CNC, be VERY careful and don't push it.
Sam Walker
Axalon Bloodstone wrote:
> On Fri, 29 Oct 1999, jeff wrote:
>
> > 1st of all I would like to thank everyone for all the help they have
> > given me. I'm now a total Linux convert.
> > I have been following Linux for about a year, was a bit timid on
> > installing and trying it out, but now I'm very glad I did.
> >
> > Well after all the e-mail I have received about what I'm trying to do, I
> > thought I would go ahead and spell it all out. That way everyone who has
> > offered help will understand.
> >
> > This all started out as a simple project here at work. The Boss wanted
> > to see financial reports on his P.C. So the simplest way I could think
> > of was to setup a file server and link it to his P.C. and the front
> > office P.C.. Well as I have gotten into this and he has been reading the
> > books and print outs, he wants to setup all the P.C. (Total at this time
> > 5) to the network. I find it exciting.
> >
> > So here is what we have.
> > 1. Front office P.C. for accounting. Quick books Win 98
> > 2. Boss P.C. for inventory. Dos, Win 98
> > 3. My P.C. Cad, Cam, Internet, and some light programming. Dos, Win 98
> > 4. Other front office P.C. At one time we had two secretary's Win 98
> > 5. CNC Room P.C. Upload and download CNC programs. WFW 3.11
> >
> > I have several questions on how to proceed.
> >
> > Would it be better to convert all the systems to Linux?
>
> If you can find accounting software that the boss likes (check
> www.freshmeat.net), and linux software to control the CNC (i'm not sure
> where to start looking here, but i have seen some somewhere), yes
> probably.
>
> > If it would is there software for Linux like Quick books? Auto cad?
>
> freshmeat will have these, and hopefully some cnc software
>
> > My Boss want to set it up to where he can check the accounting from any
> > station, look up drawings from and station, plus keep inventory from any
> > station, and print to any of the printers from any station. Can I do
> > this or has he read the information wrong?
>
> Ok unless your inventory is kept in a platform independant format, and you
> find software for all three platforms, I can see problems.
>
> > I know this is allot to ask but I thought it would be best to get it all
> > up front and see what everyone has to say.
> >
> > If you want to know what type of business we are go to
> >
> > http://www.sstooling.com
>
> Yeah the CNC machine kinda gave it away, unfortunatly i don't quite know
> enough about these to. Does this PC actualy drive the cnc or just feed it
> the programs via a serial or parallel port.
>
> > This might help all of you understand what we are looking to do and why
> > we don't know allot about networking.
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Jeff
> >
> >
>
> --
> MandrakeSoft http://www.mandrakesoft.com/
> --Axalon
