Experimental Physics and
Industrial Control System

[email protected] · Thu, 02 Jun 94 17:06:11 -0500

>They will provide site license and conversion to our EPICS environment
>for $20K. 

Let my try to understand...  We *GIVE* them EPICS for $10k and agree
not to post it into the PD (where it belongs) so that they can
retain a competitive edge, and they are offering to sell us a *driver*
for $20k?

I got nothing against spending money over writing yet another
communication module... but this one just seems like a real crock.

---- Some facts:

The GE PLCs have ethernet interfaces on them.  They will sell an API
library for IBM PC (a'la winsock), DEC VMS, or HPUX for something in
the area of $3K (the service person did not have the exact prices
when we talked.)  They were also not opposed to allowing us to write
one that can run on an IOC (no price info on that yet.)

Obviously, for the $3k API one would have to have one of the above
types of machines around... but they are working on additional ports... 
no dates at this time.  I suspect that we could scrape up a PC to be a
gateway if we don't an HP box around.

I should have some info on the API library in the next 10 days.  See me
at the EPICS meeting if you want to look at it. 

----

Someone out here will post something about any development we do/plan
to do with the API (or the Tate stuff) if we decide to buy into either
one of them.

--John

Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System

Experimental Physics and
Industrial Control System