[labnetwork] Software End of Life Ramifications

[Chris Malocsay]

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.

1.       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.

2.       Software: You must demand source code, developer keys of the
PC-PLC logic package and drivers used.

3.       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.

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.


Chris

Chris Malocsay
510-506-5894

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On Wed, Aug 19, 2015 at 4:14 PM, Mark Heiden <mheiden at engr.ucr.edu> wrote:

> 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?
>
>
>
> 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?
>
>
>
> Just curious.
>
>
>
>
>
> Mark Heiden
>
> NanoFab Cleanroom Manager
>
> Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering
>
> University of California, Riverside
>
> 951-827-2551
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>
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