Tablet control, am I missing something?

[jvanick]

That being said, this isn't a personal use system which should limit the risk of a virus. 

tell that to Target

[mk162]

and nieman marcus...or healthcare.gov

[244]

One gotcha for me on the new Workhorse press is that the operating system 'behind the scenes' is Windows!  WTF Workhorse?

The last thing I want to worry about is service packing/patching/virus scanning/etc my press.

while I like the direction of going to general purpose computers for industrial control, at least pick a stable OS and locked down environment.

agreed here, Windoze should not be an OS for a device. The amount of calls to the kernel (going in and out to run and check the subroutines) is three times as high as in Linux. Calling three times as many subroutines is introducing a three times higher likelihood of something going wrong. The MHM is running on Linux and has proved to be a pretty stable platform (we have to reboot about once a quarter). While Windows has made big strides in becoming more stable (we are not talking XP or Win7 here, there are versions specifically designed for this purpose), I would have a really hard time buying anything running on Windows.

pierre

There are a lot of reasons running anything industrial on a pad is a bad idea. Not trying to knock any ones product but this is not a good idea.

[GraphicDisorder]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRDUBYABBBBBBBBBEEEEEEEEE is gonna drive by your shops and hack your wifi's and cycle your presses. 

LOL

[Inkworks]

Maybe remote operation wouldn't be such a bad thing. Alan could log in and set us up for great one-hit whites. Tony could log in and give us seamless WB/DC blends, Omar could log in and bump up the speed to ~ 2000/hour, Pierre could log in and give us some award winning prints......... Maybe 244 could log into my 24x14 1981 Hix and make it run like a Super Sprint.......

....Ahh the future.

[Baron265]

One gotcha for me on the new Workhorse press is that the operating system 'behind the scenes' is Windows!  WTF Workhorse?

The last thing I want to worry about is service packing/patching/virus scanning/etc my press.

while I like the direction of going to general purpose computers for industrial control, at least pick a stable OS and locked down environment.

agreed here, Windoze should not be an OS for a device. The amount of calls to the kernel (going in and out to run and check the subroutines) is three times as high as in Linux. Calling three times as many subroutines is introducing a three times higher likelihood of something going wrong. The MHM is running on Linux and has proved to be a pretty stable platform (we have to reboot about once a quarter). While Windows has made big strides in becoming more stable (we are not talking XP or Win7 here, there are versions specifically designed for this purpose), I would have a really hard time buying anything running on Windows.

pierre

We didn't invent using windows as a controller OS. If it was that problematic, it wouldn't be as big or growing as fast as it is. We're just riding the wave.

And if you're afraid of WiFi, you can turn it off.

[GraphicDisorder]

I would just hope your ducks are in a row on that one because it could be a total disaster if it locks up or crashes often. 

[Baron265]

I would just hope your ducks are in a row on that one because it could be a total disaster if it locks up or crashes often.

Thanks for your concern Brandt. The technology is not "disaster technology" and we've tested our product. I think you can ease your mind that we've got our "duck in a row."

[TCT]

I am starting to come around to this tablet idea after this discussion. BUT I would say the ONLY OS I would feel comfortable with would be Linux, maybe google/android maybe.

Not trying to knock it here Paul, but from a user's standpoint I would be nervous to have a press that is supposed to make my business money running on Windows OS... I said it the day I saw it at ISS, Workhorse made a huge leap forward with this press. If you guys feel confident and happy with Windows OS then that is great! You may want to put some "marketing" or "educating" focus on the stability of it to us, the end users. As a printer if I were looking at that exact press, that would be on my top 3 question/concerns list...

[GraphicDisorder]

I would just hope your ducks are in a row on that one because it could be a total disaster if it locks up or crashes often.

Thanks for your concern Brandt. The technology is not "disaster technology" and we've tested our product. I think you can ease your mind that we've got our "duck in a row."

What happens when Windows locks up and I assure you it will at some point.  Press stop?  Or does it freak out like the playtex presses did?  I only bring this up because its a fair question. 

[ebscreen]

MHM is Linux.


Either way, the average joe can typically reinstall Windows in worst case. PLC's not so easy...

[Baron265]

I am starting to come around to this tablet idea after this discussion. BUT I would say the ONLY OS I would feel comfortable with would be Linux, maybe google/android maybe.

Not trying to knock it here Paul, but from a user's standpoint I would be nervous to have a press that is supposed to make my business money running on Windows OS... I said it the day I saw it at ISS, Workhorse made a huge leap forward with this press. If you guys feel confident and happy with Windows OS then that is great! You may want to put some "marketing" or "educating" focus on the stability of it to us, the end users. As a printer if I were looking at that exact press, that would be on my top 3 question/concerns list...

I'm not sure about Linux, but we tested Android. Android was too unstable for us.

Here's a fact. 95% of the worlds ATM's run a Windows OS HMI. They handle cash, talk to banks and are secure.

[ebscreen]

There are a lot of reasons running anything industrial on a pad is a bad idea. Not trying to knock any ones product but this is not a good idea.

Care to elaborate? It's been my understanding that PLC's were the control of choice due to harsh industrial environments; vibrations, bad air,
heat/cold, etc, that an actual computer couldn't handle. With the advent of SSDs and no-moving-parts computers I would think that the majority
of those concerns have been invalidated. This is speaking strictly from an hardware angle of course.

Software wise, while a virus infecting your press would be ridiculous, unless specifically designed to do so the likelihood of any
random virus causing damage or a misbehaving press is pretty much nil.

And it's software to control a press, not a desktop computer. You won't have employees surfing to sketchyass websites opening
questionable email attachments, which is the major vector for infection. Granted if it is networked (and who could resist that) you have
the possibility of something spreading to it that way.

New ideas are always great, and anybody that has been stuck with a dead PLC can appreciate reinstalling software locally.
Time will tell I suppose.

[spotcolorsupply]

There are a lot of reasons running anything industrial on a pad is a bad idea. Not trying to knock any ones product but this is not a good idea.

Care to elaborate? It's been my understanding that PLC's were the control of choice due to harsh industrial environments; vibrations, bad air,
heat/cold, etc, that an actual computer couldn't handle. With the advent of SSDs and no-moving-parts computers I would think that the majority
of those concerns have been invalidated. This is speaking strictly from an hardware angle of course.

Software wise, while a virus infecting your press would be ridiculous, unless specifically designed to do so the likelihood of any
random virus causing damage or a misbehaving press is pretty much nil.

And it's software to control a press, not a desktop computer. You won't have employees surfing to sketchyass websites opening
questionable email attachments, which is the major vector for infection. Granted if it is networked (and who could resist that) you have
the possibility of something spreading to it that way.

New ideas are always great, and anybody that has been stuck with a dead PLC can appreciate reinstalling software locally.
Time will tell I suppose.

Like!!!

[TCT]

There are a lot of reasons running anything industrial on a pad is a bad idea. Not trying to knock any ones product but this is not a good idea.

Care to elaborate? It's been my understanding that PLC's were the control of choice due to harsh industrial environments; vibrations, bad air,
heat/cold, etc, that an actual computer couldn't handle. With the advent of SSDs and no-moving-parts computers I would think that the majority
of those concerns have been invalidated. This is speaking strictly from an hardware angle of course.

Software wise, while a virus infecting your press would be ridiculous, unless specifically designed to do so the likelihood of any
random virus causing damage or a misbehaving press is pretty much nil.

And it's software to control a press, not a desktop computer. You won't have employees surfing to sketchyass websites opening
questionable email attachments, which is the major vector for infection. Granted if it is networked (and who could resist that) you have
the possibility of something spreading to it that way.

New ideas are always great, and anybody that has been stuck with a dead PLC can appreciate reinstalling software locally.
Time will tell I suppose.

Like!!!

I would also be interested, or *Like* also.....