Questions

C
Yes, Exactly Zach. We want to keep it on a gift basis and it's good if contributors can be directly involved. But if not, we may find a starving Linux hacker who will contract. That is work of a different nature from that produced by a burning desire to see a Linux PLC but perhaps we can find both in the same individual. Or provide a little help to a few people so they can see their way clear to code for us. What we can do for the industry is so great that the trick is finding the way to apply resources so people can help. Regards cww (who now has to get back to writing Linux code for a sort conveyor HMI)
 
R
Curt, The project and it's goals are definitely worth pursuing. Your and others' efforts are greatly appreciated. So if I think it's so great why haven't I written any code? Ok! I here-by resign my position as "Avid Lurked" and volunteer as "Jr. Developer". If you can tolerate some really stupid questions (initially) then I can find some time to write code. You asked about "social principals"; I guess you mean open source theology. I think "open source" is a great idea because it promotes standardization, competition, and interpretability among other things. I think it would be useful, to the project, for us to talk/think about the commercial advantages an open source PLC would provide everyone (i.e. vendors such as AB,GE,SIEMENS, .., end users, consultants, and solution providers.), rather than talk about the personal advantages an open source project provides developers. You asked about getting other developers involved. The normal excuses are, of course, lack of time and skill. However, I believe that the biggest barrier is the initial learning curve. People are reluctant to ask really stupid questions for fear of being ridiculed or flamed. Once people get to the point where they are able to contribute something they will likely find/make time, learn skills, and continue to contribute. So I guess we need to keep a "really dumb question" thread going, or a continuous invitation to ask dumb questions, or advanced developers take turns mentoring newbies off-line, or anything else that would help people get started. You asked how can we get this thing moving. Well, in my case, why don't I start by asking the first of my really dumb questions (RDQs). I would like to volunteering to develop code for this project. What should I do? How do I get started? (Oops! That's 2 questions!) rickj _______________________________________________ LinuxPLC mailing list [email protected] http://linuxplc.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxplc
 
C
Hi Rick Thanks for your commitment. I would start by reading the code. Read the CVS howto and get a copy. Then, it's wherever you can help. There have been some subtle hints lately on things to do. If I can get a day or two without a crisis, I'm gonna try to get set up to generate tarballs to make this easier. And I don't think we're too abusive of people who ask any question. I try to ask a lot of stupid ones myself:^) Anyone can catch me off-list for whatever (not much) I can answer and if you like I'll post your question. Flames don't bother me, everything volatile has been burned off already:^) . Let's not have that as a barrier. You just gotta remember, _developers_ rate highly around here. Regards cww _______________________________________________ LinuxPLC mailing list [email protected] http://linuxplc.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxplc
 
Rick, Based on current business models, I don't see much benefit in the LPLC for large automation vendors. However, they only represent a small portion of the total picture. System Integrators in particular could benefit greatly. As will the more sophisticated OEMs and users. All you have to do is persuade those who hold purse strings of a large oem that they will make more money doing it this way than another way. Perry >> I think it would be useful, to the project, for us to talk/think about the commercial >> advantages an open source PLC would provide everyone (i.e. vendors such as >> AB,GE,SIEMENS, .., end users, consultants, and solution providers.), rather than talk about the personal advantages an open source project provides developers. Perry Sink | Synergetic Micro Systems [email protected] | www.synergetic.com +1/ 630.434.1770 | 630.434.1987 fax ____________________________________________ Embed DeviceNet, Profibus and even WWW capability into your products: See http://www.synergetic.com/oem _______________________________________________ LinuxPLC mailing list [email protected] http://linuxplc.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxplc
 
On 30 Jan 2001, at 16:07, Perry Sink wrote: > Based on current business models, I don't see much benefit in the > LPLC for large automation vendors. However, they only represent a > small portion of the total picture. System Integrators in > particular could benefit greatly. As will the more sophisticated > OEMs and users. All you have to do is persuade those who hold purse > strings of a large oem that they will make more money doing it > this way than another way. Well, Linux is taking off in embedded work allegedly because it lets people see the code and understand what it's really doing, and because it lets them customize their application of it. Also because it's a good testbed for new ideas. An LPLC should probably have those same advantages built-in. Having the source is comforting and enlightening. My company (nameless here) hasn't increased the price of their product in 15 years. They're in a competitive market and living off of their cost savings and new sales. Lower cost matters. But other than that, maybe advantages have to be planned. Can we have a smaller footprint than other software PLCs or fit into smaller devices? Can we give better speed? More flexibility? Reliability? More information for debugging? BTW: My entry into the coding arena here is mostly delayed because of some hardware problems in my linux PC. I'm stuck in M$ (my wife's machine). Hopefully I'll have mine fixed up and be able to contribute in a month or two. :) In the meantime, I guess I could review code and stuff. Are there any tasks for C/C++/Python/ect programmers who can't run and test their code? I'm thinking not much, but I can ask. _______________________________________________ LinuxPLC mailing list [email protected] http://linuxplc.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxplc
 
M

Mario J. R. de Sousa

[email protected] wrote: > > In the meantime, I guess I could review code and stuff. Are there > any tasks for C/C++/Python/ect programmers who can't run and > test their code? I'm thinking not much, but I can ask. Hi there, Actually, there is. I would like to throw some ideas around that might involve changing the programming API, and need somebody to argue back. You need to come to terms with our current architecture though. Please have a look through the FAQ, and then mail me with questions, no matter how stupid you might think they are. If you prefer, you can mail me off-list. The API I would like to discuss is in the files #included in /lib/plc.h Cheers Mario. -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mario J. R. de Sousa [email protected] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The box said it requires Windows 95 or better, so I installed Linux _______________________________________________ LinuxPLC mailing list [email protected] http://linuxplc.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxplc
 
C

Curt Wuollet

[email protected] wrote: ... > But other than that, maybe advantages have to be planned. Can we > have a smaller footprint than other software PLCs or fit into smaller > devices? Can we give better speed? More flexibility? Reliability? > More information for debugging? We inherently have those covered. Linux has a smaller footprint, better speed, more flexibility, better reliability and you have the source so you can really know how things really work. All we have to do is avoid compromizing this. The other products that use a small runtime executive and scheduler will have an advantage until we integrate real time code, but the Linux real time offerings are getting more transparent and with scheduling checkpoints this may become a non-issue. > BTW: My entry into the coding arena here is mostly delayed > because of some hardware problems in my linux PC. I'm stuck in > M$ (my wife's machine). Hopefully I'll have mine fixed up and be > able to contribute in a month or two. :) Excellent. What kind of problems are you having? Regards cww _______________________________________________ LinuxPLC mailing list [email protected] http://linuxplc.org/mailman/listinfo/linuxplc
 
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