I think in the end it is WAY more work then I can do on my own... The amount of MFC code in Mach3 is MASIVE and it would take a team of programmers to move the old "EMC" parts over (they are not the same at all any more ) and the screens.. well that would be the 2nd team.. I wouldn't hold your breath

I've worked in applications analysis/design/programming, e.g., mgf. accounting, MRP, JIT, etc. for over 30 yrs.   I DO understand.   Somewhere above . . .I mentioned that it's just not a simple task to take some C++ code (or whatever) and compile it on another OS.

Thanks for the "head-up" on this utility.   I've book-marked it . . .and I can see some possibilities outside the CAD/CAM arena for it.

@rtwingfield- It wouldn't be fair to discuss EMC2 in all it's details here so we can move to CNCZONE if you like. The distro is Ubuntu 8.04 realtime kernel and the frontend is AXIS which is a python dev. My handle at CNCZONE is same as here

Blah! if you woudl like to talk about EMC2 and what you like and don't like feel free   This is an open forum and we will not stop you This is your forum and if you would like to talk about it feel free..

Thanks
Brian

Thanks Brian, I don't like taking liberties. The EMC2 Live CD at LinuxCNC is a hassle free installation and includes UBUNTU 8.04 realtime, it is best to start with this distro. It is open source, follow the links on the LinuxCNC page. It can be installed on most Debian distro's maybe with an adaption here and there. I'm not sure about Free BSD, I suppose theoretically it should be possible. But bear in mind that EMC2 runs on Realtime Kernel, so I have even installed it on the latest UBUNTU 9 release, but to run the controller, you have to reboot in the realtime kernel, so what's the point really?
Might as well stick with 8.04 if you want to use the PC as a CNC controller. I am busy with EMC2 dev for advanced processing to suite the steel cutting industry, as the current version do not support reverse running a part program and plate alignment. This is a part time project of mine.
Further to that, stability of the EMC2 system is pretty much governed by what you choose as hardware, and this is so true of Windows systems as well. Skimp on the hardware and blame yourself, not the software.
I would not compare Mach3 against EMC2, it is not comparable, they are different in many ways. I like both, and use both.
Point of interest, there is a heck of an amount of CNC controllers in the industry running with Windows, especially XP embedded. Most of them that employ  realtime engines utilize propriety
software as a Windows plug in, with dire financial consequences.
No need to ask for a linux ported version of Mach3, EMC2 is similar.

RE: 

@rtwingfield- It wouldn't be fair to discuss EMC2 in all it's details here so we can move to CNCZONE if you like. The distro is Ubuntu 8.04 realtime kernel and the frontend is AXIS which is a python dev. My handle at CNCZONE is same as here

. . .first, I'd like to say that I really appreciate all the civil response to this thread.  I certainly didn't want to stir up a "Flamer".  Obviously, I've indicated that I'm not a big fan of MS/Windoze.  That said, of course I use Windoze -- you can't get away from it.   I use Rhino CAD, TurboCAD 3D, and of course all the usual suspects (MS/Word, Corel WordPerfect, Excel, QuatroPro, Adobe PhotoShop, ad nauseam.)

I also appreciate the invitation to keep the discourse open in this thread, but I am also an advocate of filing or posting questions and answers under a topic where others may easily search and find the same . . .so I agree that continuing an EMC2/Ubuntu discussion may be more beneficial on the suggested forum.  Again thanks for all the positive comments regarding both Mach and EMC2.

What I'd like to discuss now are questions regarding specific machine configurations.   What would be the best thread (or forum) to discuss interfacing Mach3 with a Bridgeport Series I with Acu-Rite II DRO and power feed?  I've looked at the subject under "General Mach Discussion" and most seem to be software oriented.  If I want to ask some questions about the hardware that I just mentioned, should I just start a new thread, or go to another forum?

Sincere thanks,
Ron W.

Just my thinking but, I think if we where to make a Linux version I would not be able to sell it to the normal user.. I would think that it would need to be OEM only. I would never be able to teach the users how to "use" Linux.. The first time I asked them to mount the device so they could read the data they would get mad at me for asking them to do obscene things to there computer.. LOL

What I'd like to discuss now are questions regarding specific machine configurations.   What would be the best thread (or forum) to discuss interfacing Mach3 with a Bridgeport Series I with Acu-Rite II DRO and power feed?  I've looked at the subject under "General Mach Discussion" and most seem to be software oriented.  If I want to ask some questions about the hardware that I just mentioned, should I just start a new thread, or go to another forum?

Sincere thanks,
Ron W.

Start a new thread on the General asking what you want to know, I am sure someone here will know the answer
Hood