Which linux distro is easiest to start with to select for LinuxCNX as of today?

Hello!

As in the topic. I know linux, I've been using Ubuntu and Fedora a lot. I prefer KDE (or any other simple GUI) to Gnome. My hardware will be a few, maybe even 10 years old.

What is the best choice to most easily start with LinuxCNC - not only for simulations, but to control motors and read actuators? In the begininning I want to control LPT directly, but thinking about MESA or anything else with reliable control frequencies in the range of 100-300kHz.

Just use the official iso.
Go to the Linuxcnc main page and go to the downloads section.

Thank You! If I go for parallel port at first, how much kHz I can expect?

If I am to look for a MESA, what to start with with good value per $?

Thank You very much! Around 16 kHz is what is necessary to step a motor at 600RPM and 1/8 microstep, which should be ok in the beginning?.. (as I understand microsteps are then at 1/8 lower torques so they do not add any precision when load is high)

The "highest" model listed here seems to be the 7i96S, which is also available here and there, but it is 5 axis only and doesn't contain servo encoder feedback.

The seemingly more powerful 6 axis model with servo feedback for each axis: eusurplus.com/index.php?route=product/pr...62_71&product_id=115

is not available immediately (preorder necessary).

The former card does have 5 axis support, which should be more than fine for a beginner. "The 7I96S also has 11 isolated inputs plus 6 isolated outputs for general purpose I/O use. A high speed encoder interface is provided for spindle synchronized motion and an isolated analog spindle output allows spindle speed control . A RS-422/RS485 serial port and a parallel port are provided for I/O expansion ."

I wonder if I am able to use these inputs from micrometric linear scales, to have a feedback for my step motor control. I am thinking of "removing" (rather compensating for) backslash electronically with the rule, that scale numbers are the final truth about position of my table, not motor angle (like in servo and servo-steppers). This way I would not care about wheter motor shaft did the step, but whether the scale masurement got me to the right position. I would push motor steps until I am at the expected value. If I could not achieve it within a reasonable number of steps, it would be an alarm to stop further operation.

1. Does it sound reasonable.
2. Can LinuxCNC support such approach out of the box.

I am a C++ programmer, maybe I can add an extension if 2!=true?

Super! Thanks!