Anybody still using Mach3?

[hhshermit]

I've been running Mach3 for at least 12 years on various computers running XP, Win7 and now Win10. In general I found it to be reliable and flexible (easy to build custom macros and brains). It does have some bugs and Newfangled Solutions has stopped supporting it or fixing bugs. A few years ago I found that it was misbehaving when I needed to run some code with 4th axis coordinated movement. I cannot now recall the exact problem, but when I contacted support, they said it was a known bug but they were only working on Mach4 code. At their request, I upgraded to Mach4, being assured it was "so much better".

However, I found Mach4's default conditions dangerous due to run away jogging. Newfangled Solutions said this was not possible so there must be some problem with my hardware or wiring. Seemed most unlikely as it was the same hardware/wiring that had been running Mach3 without that problem for almost a decade. After not being able to solve the Mach4 problem and almost losing a finger due to it, I reloaded Mach3 and continue to use it to this day. I only load up Mach4 if I have to run a 4th axis code. Mach3 handles 99% of my needs, so I have never found the need to try other control programs.

I do recommend that if you can find a computer that will run Win 7 with the Ethernet Smooth Stepper, stay with it. I avoid using Win10 where ever I can due to its incessant "upgrades" which cause more problems than they solve and cannot be turned off. For the new NC control computer which came with Win 10, I isolate it from the Internet so no upgrades are possible (or needed).

 

[slow-poke]

Update.......

On my old mill I used Mach3, this time I decided to try the LinuxCNC with a Mesa board driving AC servos approach. I enjoy the learning experience and the ability LinuxCNC offers to close the loop using your scales as well as the flexibility offered via the HAL interface just appealed to my tinkering side.

Over time I have come to loathe the intrusiveness of Windows it feels like my PC is less and less under my control and more like a terminal connected to the MS mothership.

Linux is such a breath of fresh air in this respect. The one aspect that surprised me is just how fast and easy it is to do some things, for example initially I was planning to have the mill PC act as an island not connected to the internet, at some point I decided it would be better to have direct access to the web so I purchased a $20 USB WiFi dongle to plug into the $50 used PC I'm using for the new mill. I plugged the dongle in and one second later Linux pops up a message saying dongle detected, WiFi network detected, please enter your password, entered the password and one second later my PC is connected and working. Click on Web browser in the menu and firefox opens and is working perfectly. No searching for drivers etc. System boots very quickly, everything is instantaneous This is a huge contrast to my Windows pc that seems like it sends half my SSD to the mothership every time it boots. On my to-do list is replace the OS on my main pc with Linux and use virtual box to run Windows on as needed basis.

I have received great guidance from many members on the Linux forum. I'm becoming a Linux fan boy.

 

[jcdammeyer]

Update.......

On my old mill I used Mach3, this time I decided to try the LinuxCNC with a Mesa board driving AC servos approach. I enjoy the learning experience and the ability LinuxCNC offers to close the loop using your scales as well as the flexibility offered via the HAL interface just appealed to my tinkering side.

Over time I have come to loathe the intrusiveness of Windows it feels like my PC is less and less under my control and more like a terminal connected to the MS mothership.

Linux is such a breath of fresh air in this respect. The one aspect that surprised me is just how fast and easy it is to do some things, for example initially I was planning to have the mill PC act as an island not connected to the internet, at some point I decided it would be better to have direct access to the web so I purchased a $20 USB WiFi dongle to plug into the $50 used PC I'm using for the new mill. I plugged the dongle in and one second later Linux pops up a message saying dongle detected, WiFi network detected, please enter your password, entered the password and one second later my PC is connected and working. Click on Web browser in the menu and firefox opens and is working perfectly. No searching for drivers etc. System boots very quickly, everything is instantaneous This is a huge contrast to my Windows pc that seems like it sends half my SSD to the mothership every time it boots. On my to-do list is replace the OS on my main pc with Linux and use virtual box to run Windows on as needed basis.

I have received great guidance from many members on the Linux forum. I'm becoming a Linux fan boy.

I have a love/hate relationship with Linux. I plugged in a WiFi USB and sure enough just like yours after entering the passwords I could get at the gcode files stored on the projects drive. I walked away and came back an hour later and the Linux system was locked up solid. A couple of repetitions of the same effect and I thought I'd try the usual sudo apt get update or upgrade.

And here we enter the world of windows or apple. The URL to the update is no longer valid because my Linux system is 2.8 and therefore not the latest. Kind of like trying to upgrade WIN-7. No longer supported. Apparently in a year or so WIN-10 will do the same thing and WIN-11 I can't stand.

So far my old WIN-XP MACH3 hasn't done this but then it's not on WiFi.

My point is I like some parts of MACH3 better than AXIS on Linux. But overall I like LinuxCNC way better.

On a similar thread the Apple MAC PRO from my son Misha hasn't responded well to a newer OS update but it was a breeze to install Linux on it.

So overall, as I slowly retire away from needing Windows for work where my applications are only available on Windows I think I eventually will only have Linux.

Scary eh?