The maintenance shop laptop for the electricians just died and I need to buy a new one.
We have a huge mix of controllers requiring different software in the plant. A lot of the controllers are old and obsolete too. Ideal solution would be to run a number of virtual machines with different software, but the electricians here already struggle to just get online with drives and PLCs without introducing that element (yes, it would be better to train the electricians, but most of them aren't part of the computer savvy generation).
The general plan right now is to have 3 laptops.
Laptop #1 - Siemens PG
Laptop #2 - AB software, other misc software that will run on Windows 7
Laptop #3 - Run Windows XP for misc older software
I'm having problems deciding on what to buy for laptop #2. The IT department is really pushing a Dell laptop on me, but I think I'll need to push back for something like a Panasonic Toughbook, both for the RS232 port and the toughness of it.
I would like to get something with more than 4GB of RAM, but worried about getting a 64bit machine. Comments about AB software on a 64bit machine? Other software would include DirectSoft, GE Prophecy ME, Maple systems EZ Ware, PL7, 505 Workshop, Parker Drive software, CX programmer, Global Drive. There's also a pile of stuff I'm not even thinking of right now.
We have a huge mix of controllers requiring different software in the plant. A lot of the controllers are old and obsolete too. Ideal solution would be to run a number of virtual machines with different software, but the electricians here already struggle to just get online with drives and PLCs without introducing that element (yes, it would be better to train the electricians, but most of them aren't part of the computer savvy generation).
The general plan right now is to have 3 laptops.
Laptop #1 - Siemens PG
Laptop #2 - AB software, other misc software that will run on Windows 7
Laptop #3 - Run Windows XP for misc older software
I'm having problems deciding on what to buy for laptop #2. The IT department is really pushing a Dell laptop on me, but I think I'll need to push back for something like a Panasonic Toughbook, both for the RS232 port and the toughness of it.
I would like to get something with more than 4GB of RAM, but worried about getting a 64bit machine. Comments about AB software on a 64bit machine? Other software would include DirectSoft, GE Prophecy ME, Maple systems EZ Ware, PL7, 505 Workshop, Parker Drive software, CX programmer, Global Drive. There's also a pile of stuff I'm not even thinking of right now.