What PC's are OEM's using???

I'm looking at installing LinuxCNC on my cnc mill.

I have always been told that a Linux based system will always outperform a windows based system when used as a realtime processor.

I also read that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable motherboards suitable for Linux

On reading some updates about Centroid CNC, who used a Linux based operating system, it appears they are now only using windows based software due to being unable to purchase new motherboards suitable for Linux, and that windows 7 now has better features than Linux for running cnc software.

It was interesting therefore to read that Tormach have now switched from windows based MACH3 software to what appears to be their own version of LinuxCNC.

So I am now totally confused!!

I would like a PC installed on the mill purely to run it's CNC operating system, nothing else. Probably using MESA ethernet boards

Having read all this

1) Does a Linux based system still have advantages over a Windows system?
2) What/Are motherboards available that will run LinuxCNC without any issues (Tormach must have found something that works???)

Actually I think its easier than ever to get adequate LinuxCNC performance from current PCs,
especially if you have external high speed hardware for step generation encoder counting etc.

Most modern Intel motherboards will be fine.
If you want a fanless system, the J1800,J1900 based systems have decent latency
if you want a snappier system (at the expense requiring of a CPU fan),
a H81 or H97 based MB with a low cost G32XX CPU is about 2x as fast as the J1800/1900 systems

Older Tormach systems use a Core2Duo and Intel MB,
not sure what their current system is. (might be G32XX CPU)

IMHO , one of the main advantages of LinuxCNC over most windows based systems is this:

Windows is not a real time OS, so for good performance all real time tasks must be off-loaded into
an external motion controller. Duplicating all of LinuxCNC's real time motion features
(probing, threading, rigid tapping, real time feed rate control) in the environment of most external controllers
is difficult and each motion controller manufacturer implements them differently (or not at all)

The advantage I see with LinuxCNC is that all the real time control is in one place (in LinuxCNC/Machinekit running on a PC or fast ARM CPU), is open source so any improvements are available to all, and runs in a nice environment for sophisticated control software (very fast processor and floating point performance). This means that all real time motion features are available to any LinuxCNC installation regardless of the specific interface hardware used. It also means that anyone with the right abilities can extend and improve these real time features.

ok thanks

Is that just running one core of the the processor?

Gatesy wrote: Is that just running one core of the the processor?

No, Linux and LinuxCNC can run with SMP systems. Sometimes it can be useful to dedicate one core to Realtime, but the system still uses all the cores.

I could go on a rampage talking about the differences between win and linux, but i do not see it appropriate, let me just say that after spending over 30 years with computers (professionally for the last 20 some years), i really regret wasting my life with windows. Linux just works, however you look at it. The absolutely astonishing feature of Linux it that i can install it on anything (hdd, ssd, usb even my Galaxy note 3) and connect it to any computer or laptop i have (over 20 of them) press the power button and have the system running in 10 to 20 seconds, with everything already set up and running, no drivers no installations of any kind etc.
Oh and did i mention, NO viruses, none, nada, .....
As for hardware, find Dell optiplex computers with pentium 4 or pentium D, even core2duo work like a charm, and they cost next to nothing, all have a parallel port and more can be added. They have a low latency and are very reliable. Am using a pentium D 2.8 GHz version for over 4 years, it never flinched.
Regards,
Tom