Re: EMC - a practical implementation?

["Steve Carlisle" <quatsein-at-island.net>]

Steve, I am all for your idea's. Can we pick up a new copy
of EMC from you, will all the new additions, say in a week?

Steve

----------
From: Stephen B. Patterson <stevieb-at-chisp.net>
To: Multiple recipients of list <emc-at-nist.gov>
Subject: EMC - a practical implementation?
Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 4:23 PM


All,

We have read with some considerable interest the comments of those trying
out various "builds" of the software, and the various problems being
encountered.  Some of you should be aware that there is considerable
commercial interest from any number of parties (including ourselves).

However, the system as designed has little redundany and does not degrade
in a graceful manner.  Error checking is a joke - what does "error XX -
divide by zero" have to do with the implementation problems being
encoutered if it won't tell you what's wrong?

The truth is, "it doesn't matter whether the system performs well at a
machining task, as long as it is mathematically pure" would be extremely
funny if it weren't so maddening to those trying to implement the software.
 These problems tell us this system is a long way from even a hobbyist's
dream, let alone a practical solution to any machine control problems.

The essence of a good system design is it's ability to perform marginally
well in situations never dreamed of by the original architects . . . .

That is, from the start, the system architect designed in convertability,
redundancy, portability, adaptability, error recovery, limit checking, and
all fifteen known methods to implement predictive and graceful degradation
of performance.  And the systems testing suites were designed in advance so
that the tough, real-world problems that have already been solved by most
of the commercial machine control environments could easily be implemented
here. 


The impression we have is that this system being built by one or more ivory
tower types who haven't a clue as to the practical problems being
encountered by real-worl implementations.  What happened to the idea that
this software is easy to implement and easy to use?

We'll be watching.

Good luck, you'll need it.

Steve


                      Stephen Brent Patterson
                         RODI Power Systems
                 The ElectriHydraulic Company
               Stephens Steam Speeder Company
                                

                                  
4019 Perry St.	        Denver, CO 80212-2171 USA
01-303-480-1439 Vox 8am-Noon  <stevieb-at-chisp.net>