<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal">Hi Mark; after 30 years of PVD system automation with
platforms from PC board, 8086 processors continued with NT, XP and now Windows
there really is no simple answer. Just
today I serviced a 1985 vintage PC board, Eprom multi target PVD tool after
completing a grueling 3 week repair of a XP to GE Fanuc machine of exact
mechanical platform. My only saving
grace was documentation, software ownership and two additional grey haired
knuckle heads like me. A few simple rules
for the prospective buyer of PC controlled systems.</p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">1.<span style="font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">
</span>Documentation:
You must be able to follow a digital I/O string thru the control loop
from beginning to end from the manual or schematics provided by the
manufacturer. </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">2.<span style="font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">
</span>Software: You must demand source code, developer
keys of the PC-PLC logic package and drivers used.</p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">3.<span style="font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;font-family:'Times New Roman'">
</span>Price: Quality
engineering of the above two items are not cheap; there are companies who
perform and a lot that don’t. References
and visits to the manufacturer is your only warranty.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A big hit came when the 32 to 64 bit conversion rendered
many drivers incapable of communication with new components. It really takes some capable engineers but
there are solutions. It is that price
issue that typically stands in the way.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal">Chris</p></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div>Chris Malocsay</div><div>510-506-5894</div><div><div><br></div><div>Please Join us at the following upcoming events!</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.avs.org/symposium" target="_blank">AVS 62 Click Here!</a><br></div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.mrs.org/fall2015/" target="_blank">MRS Fall Meeting Click Here!</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div><div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Aug 19, 2015 at 4:14 PM, Mark Heiden <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:mheiden@engr.ucr.edu" target="_blank">mheiden@engr.ucr.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">With the death of windows XP most equipment vendors have been forced to stop supporting their own software that runs tools on that platform. Since some of us cannot afford to upgrade our entire enterprise with typically new PC’s with vendor
specific interface hardware and software is there a method to share obsolete applications without the fear of repercussions from the vendors? I understand the need for licensing new supported software, but once a company washes it’s hands of a product and
offers no support other than to sell you a newer version can owners that paid once already share copies to keep running for a while?<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For example, if we had a failed Window XP PC on a Dektak 8 and needed to reload the software and drivers to run our perfectly good Dektak could someone share a copy of that software?<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Just curious.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mark Heiden<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">NanoFab Cleanroom Manager<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">University of California, Riverside<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="tel:951-827-2551" value="+19518272551" target="_blank">951-827-2551</a><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
</div>
<br>_______________________________________________<br>
labnetwork mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:labnetwork@mtl.mit.edu">labnetwork@mtl.mit.edu</a><br>
<a href="https://www-mtl.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo.cgi/labnetwork" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www-mtl.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo.cgi/labnetwork</a><br>
<br></blockquote></div><br></div>