Dumb question for you CNC folks....

fred hargis

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I haven't been bitten by the CNC bug (yet), but I was having a different problem which leads to my question. We are a Mac household, having given up on Windows right when they introduced Vista. So I'm wondering about the CNC software used, does it come for both platforms? On a few things Mac users are only an afterthought (if they're a thought at all). BTW, my other problem was related to learning Sketchup on a Mac...all the reference material I have seems to assume a Windows computer.
 
I had been trying to do some of the design and control for my little laser on Linux. There were a couple of programs that were pretty much windows only, and to be honest, some of the control software just worked so much better on windows I actually switched my shop computer out for on that ran windows 7.
 
I am an anti-apple guy.

I know lots of folk love their apples and I like eating apples but I don't "use" an apple.

I do know that Vectric does not have an apple version of software available unfortunately.

I don't know anything about the other stuff - I have been and always be a PC based user.
 
Mac user here. I bought a refurnished PC w/Win 7 for the CNC. Vectric and Mach 3 are PC based. If there are multi-platform CNC related software, I am unaware of it. Vectric programs and Mach 3 are the most user friendly, popular programs out there. The small machines like Dan and Bill have their own machine language. What Leo and I are into, Mach 3 is the machine language. Not sure what Brent will be using. Vectric allows the cad (drawing) function and the cam (toolpath creation) function. Mach 3 translate the tool paths into actual movements of the hardware.

SketchUp is multi-platform. I use it on my MacBook. It saves files in its own native format which is transferable to a PC base with no issue.

So you can draw your project in SketchUp and transfer it to cam software which creates the tool paths. Or you can import graphic files into a Vectric program and set up the machining parameters for the CNC. I am not sure if you can draw from scratch into the Vectric programs. Leo can answer that one. And correct me if I have led you astray here. Which would be very good for me if that is the case.
 
this is coming from someone who has worked with computers for the last 30 plus years. apple only has about less than 6% of the business market. don't get me wrong now, they're big in non-business functions. that could be one of the reasons why the majority of cnc software is pc based.
 
Thanks folks. I guess I understand the part about small part of the market...just thought maybe something out was written to work with OSX. Kinda sounds like if i ever do get a CNC, I'll have to do what Carol and Brent suggested...get a refurb dedicated computer.
 
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