Running Shopbot on a Mac

[majohnson]

I'm switching back to Apple since the power plug on my Toshiba has broken and went inside the case. I'm thinking of using Parallels so I can run my Shopbot software. I am wondering what others are using on their Apples to allow the use of Windows/Shopbot software.

[carlosgmarroquin]

I tried with a virtual machine using VMWare Fusion and it didn't work. I think that the control software handles things like the system timer and the comm port at a very low level. And it was too slow.

I would suggest BootCamp because it is a windows instance running directly over the hardware.

[knight_toolworks]

right bootcamp is the only way you can do it. macs are too spendy to run a shopbot with,.

[tlempicke]

I bought a copy of Parallels and it works --- but!

Disk access, saving programs, transferring between Mac and IBM are really difficult. Laptops are so cheap that you can buy one brand new for just about twice what a copy of parallels will cost.

[Brady Watson]

Dyslexia kickin' in....I thought the title read 'Running over a Mac with a Shopbot'

PCs & laptops are dirt cheap. A quick browse on CL and you'll find more than you can shake a stick at.

When it comes to driving the SB - this isn't a place to dare to be different.

-B

[danhamm]

Hope you spelled dyslexia right Brady, First glance I thought it was 'running over shopbot with a mach'

[Brady Watson]

I had to check the spelling

Nah...I'll take my plug-n-play laptop USB interface over that 1970 interface technology

Hey...whatever works for ya is the "right" interface, right?

-B

[majohnson]

Those are some interesting answers. Where would we be with out spell check.

[michael_schwartz]

If you run Parallels make sure to max out your ram. 2-3GB is not enough. Partworks ran ok on my first generation Macbook. If you want to do this for design software it is worth a try. Otherwise I agree with the other posts that your better off going with windows system to control the Shopbot.

Get a good lower cost PC to run the ShopBot. Spend a little bit more if you have to. Make sure you do it right the first time. I am using a refurbished dell optiplex right now but I am planning on switching it out for a gaming PC I built a few years ago. While it is overkill, I know it will be far more reliable than the Dell. You don't need anything fancy to run the shopbot, but you also don't want to control a $14,000 piece of equipment with the cheapest PC you can find. Avoid low cost peripherals that come bundled with refurbs. Throw them away and buy a name brand keyboard and mouse. I had a whole slew of USB problems caused by a cheap USB keyboard.

I used to run partworks via parallels. I ended up buying a $400.00 Dell laptop when I bought Aspire since that was beyond what my older macbook could handle. The Dell is ok but I wouldn't buy another. Then again I am not really sure if you could do better with any of the other brands. With laptops you get what you pay for. For now I have to satisfy my apple needs with my iPhone.

As far as desktops up to a certain price point your better buying new, or refurbished. I prefer to build my own systems but when you can buy a low end PC for the same price as a retail copy of windows 7, building one is not practical. However any more than $500 or so building your own is the only way to go as far as I am concerned. I just like to build computers though

[danhamm]

Brady,Touche' on the laptop...But the 1970's tech and a higher voltage power supply make the old vexta's (4 wire)do things people only dream of..