[Sneap] Labview vs. Epics vs. ???

[Davide]

David Weisser ha scritto:
> The SNEAP 2005 Meeting was held at Brookhaven National Laboratory.  Please visit the meeting Homepage at: https://www.bnl.gov/sneap2005/default.asp
>
> The ATF-SNEAP 2006 web site is now available:
> http://www.ansto.gov.au/nugeo/conference/private/ATF_SNEAP.htm
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> IT SNEAPERS,
>
> With the retirement of Gordon Foote, our computer guy, we are forced to
> consider where our accelerator computer control system should head in the
> future.  Many labs are using Lab View.  Is this solution suitable for
> largish facilities like the 14UD plus LINAC?  Several large facilities, like
> the Australian Light Source, are using EPICS.  Are there any down sides with
> this solution?
>
> All opinions welcome.
>
> David
>   

Dear David,
sorry for the delay on my answer, but I would talk
about this topic with my colleague: Mauro Giacchini
which is involved in the local control software group.
He was at PCaPAC workshop, an international workshop
about middle sizes control system projects. 
His point of view follow:
probably you are right, the good solution will be a
mixture with LabVIEW and EPICS. You should keep the
advantage to the good HMI of LabVIEW and the simplicity
to learn using it within the same time the strong power of EPICS 
on field control interface. About the hard curve to learn EPICS
he suggest a meeting with one EPICS world-wide
consultant (he knows more than one consultant), using this approach you
could
have a good technical approach with a financial weight preview.
The man-power is a problem everywhere, using EPICS you could
rent a small staff from the EPICS community to develop the 
project and just only a person to the maintenance. The consultant
have enough contact around the world to arrange everything.
Please, avoid home-made solution based __only__ on LabVIEW, there
are problems about this approach: first of all the maintenance of
a software code written out of a regular framework; you will
be locked to the National Instruments company to the license costs
forever; you will be locked with an Windows OS to keep the 
maximum advantage of the LabVIEW capability; as usual, 
good programmers doesn't like it and this still isn't good
for the maintenance in the future. 

To more details, please, 
feel free to contact my colleague :mauro.giacchini at lnl.infn.it

Best Regards
Davide Carlucci