Author Topic: Free simulator (Read 24313 times)

gamefreak · « **on:** March 10, 2007, 06:45:34 PM »

Is there any FREE simulator that has mass, physics, dynamics, and that sorta of useful stuff? The only thing i have found is Webots which seems to have it all but it is not free.....

sdk32285 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 10, 2007, 06:47:24 PM »

I havent used it but i think Microsoft Robotics studio has that type of stuff.

gamefreak · « **Reply #2 on:** March 10, 2007, 06:55:23 PM »

i thought the robotics studio was complicatyed, or something like that

sdk32285 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 10, 2007, 08:24:55 PM »

I dont know which one off hand, but the microsoft version physics simulater is copied from an open source version

JesseWelling · « **Reply #4 on:** March 11, 2007, 05:02:44 PM »

If you know how to do unix and linux programing well the Player/Stage/Gazebo stack works decently well and is free and open.
http://playerstage.sourceforge.net/

gamefreak · « **Reply #5 on:** March 12, 2007, 10:36:03 AM »

i have a windows and it says :Player Project software runs on Linux, Solaris, *BSD and Mac OSX (Darwin)

so i cant use that

JesseWelling · « **Reply #6 on:** March 12, 2007, 10:39:04 AM »

well it's never to late to switch

Linux and BSD are free.

gamefreak · « **Reply #7 on:** March 12, 2007, 11:38:44 AM »

well wouldnt that change my entire computer if i switched to a linux operating system?

JesseWelling · « **Reply #8 on:** March 12, 2007, 12:34:32 PM »

you can dual boot to run both linux and windows, but you need to make partitions to do this. Ubuntu is probably the easiest distro to use. But beware, if you try to do linux half heartidly you will fail misserably as so many wtf's will escape your mouth.
You have to want to learn things to use linux. But uless you are really interested in using player or linux you might as well
just stick with windows.

gamefreak · « **Reply #9 on:** March 12, 2007, 03:14:12 PM »

since i dotn know how to do that, and i know nothign about linux,unless i get step by step directions taht can be followed easily then i wont bother

besides, whats so special about linux? its not as good as macs and windows

hgordon · « **Reply #10 on:** March 12, 2007, 04:03:11 PM »

I heard Jesse bite his tongue from 3000 miles away after reading the last post ...

Gamefreak -

What's special about Linux is that it is a completely open software architecture, so software developers have full access to the source code of everything that has to do with the operating system, its tools, and most of its applications. This is NOT the case for Mac or Windows.

If you're not a software developer, you probably don't care, and you'll be happy to purchase shrink-wrap software from your local computer store or Walmart or whatever. If you are a software developer, you will be grateful to all those other developers who came before you and contributed so much time and effort to the Linux community.

One additional note - I've used variations of Unix on and off since the early '80's, and I must say that the latest Linux distribution from Ubuntu is the closest I've seen to the quality and usability of a commercial operating system release (e.g. Mac OS/X or Windows) from the open source community for non-techy users. It's really nicely done ...

JesseWelling · « **Reply #11 on:** March 12, 2007, 04:16:56 PM »

you can lead a horse to water.......

gamefreak · « **Reply #12 on:** March 12, 2007, 05:19:20 PM »

i always wondered about linux.....

Alright, but how can i hook up my windows computer so that it can do linux and still be able to use windows?

horses cant be led to water

ed1380 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 12, 2007, 05:25:49 PM »

apple products suck.
I've tried sabayon and just messed up my boot files, after refusing to instal on a new partition, so until i get another HDD no linux for me.

Eco19R · « **Reply #14 on:** March 12, 2007, 06:14:12 PM »

I have never used Linux but from what I have read on it a while back a fairly large amount of softwear won't run on it.

Windows is far from great but I personally think its still the best OS out there for general use.

gamefreak · « **Reply #15 on:** March 12, 2007, 06:21:57 PM »

what is a partition? is it a segemnt of your harddrive devoted to the new system or something?

Eco19R · « **Reply #16 on:** March 12, 2007, 06:27:05 PM »

From what I understand - When you partition your hard drive you are creating two separate virtual smaller hard drives within the original drive. Most company made PCs usually partition the hard drives in there computers - one partition windows is installed in and is usually smaller.

sdk32285 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 12, 2007, 06:43:37 PM »

Instead of creating a new partition you can you VMware to run linux from within windows(or windows from within linux. your choice).

gamefreak · « **Reply #18 on:** March 12, 2007, 06:57:16 PM »

ok so how do i make/edit a partition, and what would be advantages/disadvantages to that, same thing for vmware

sdk32285 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 12, 2007, 07:15:09 PM »

If you already have windows installed you probably need to delete it and reinstall. While reinstalling there is an option to manually format the hard drive. Or you can use a program like partition magic ($$) to create a new partition with an already installed windows. When dual booting always install windows first and then Linux since the windows boot loader does not like Linux.

The Vmware is a program you install that emulates a computer and it vary easy to set up(the Linux copy is free, windows copy i think costs $). The disadvantage to this is that Linux will run slowly relative to windows( my 1GB RAM computer can usually run the vmware version at full speed).

If you just want to play with Linux you can use whats called a live CD. Which is a CD you put in the computer and boot from. it operates like Linux but when you shut down and remove the CD your computer is that same as before and windows wont be harmed. Disadvantages include same speed problems as above and that you cant save anything(actually you can but its difficult).

Another option is if you computer can boot from USB you can install it on an external drive.

Eco19R · « **Reply #20 on:** March 12, 2007, 07:18:17 PM »

Before you start messing around with your OS, you better make a backup copy of your HD.

gamefreak · « **Reply #21 on:** March 12, 2007, 07:58:41 PM »

since i fear i screw up my relativly new computer by messing with the OS, i'll probably use the linux VMware, whats this about no tbeing able to save with a live boot disk?

sdk32285 · « **Reply #22 on:** March 12, 2007, 08:06:06 PM »

The linux Vmware is if you have linux and you want to run windows in linux

With the live boot CD any change you make gets changed back when you shutdown. if you want to actually make a change you need to manually mount your primary hard drive.

JesseWelling · « **Reply #23 on:** March 12, 2007, 10:52:09 PM »

maybe you guys should start here if you are interested:
http://www.ubuntu.com/

I use Ubuntu on my laptop because it is the easiest to use. I'm sure you can direct your questions to the
ubuntu forums and some one will gladly help you get set up. If its some thing you really want to do go for
it but I warn you there is a steep learning curve and you can't be affraid or else it won't lead you any where.

But on the other hand if you use Linux, you will never have to pay for an OS again, and you will learn alot
more about programing than you would with windows, which does help you when you are working on robotics.

The other part of "you can lead a horse to water" is the fact that you can't drink for the horse. just like
robotics, if you want to learn it's going to take hard work and dedication, and alot of self directed learning.

gamefreak · « **Reply #24 on:** March 13, 2007, 07:18:55 AM »

alright, ubuntu looks good, and im assuming that i need the desktop version

im going to look at vmware later and see if that would be a better choice.

hgordon · « **Reply #25 on:** March 13, 2007, 07:37:19 AM »

Right - you want the desktop edition of Ubuntu. I would suggest going with the new version (6.10 "Edgy"), as it worked better on my old Toshiba notebook than 6.06, but others may have different experiences.

It's common to configure a computer to "dual boot", so that Linux is run is a separate disk partition of a Windows mahine. I generally allocate a separate machine to Linux - one of the big advantages of Linux is that it tends to run well on older machines that would be considered obsolete for Windows, and in fact, Linux sometimes won't run on the newest systems because device drivers haven't been written yet. That's a good reason to try a Test Drive CD before committing to convert a specific machine to Linux. Alternatively, do an online search for your machine model + Linux or + Ubuntu, e.g. "Compaq Presario V5000 Ubuntu 6.10"

Sam_Charette · « **Reply #26 on:** March 13, 2007, 08:38:40 AM »

Quote from: gamefreak on March 12, 2007, 03:14:12 PM

besides, whats so special about linux? its not as good as macs and windows

I'd just like to mention that the latest mac OS uses linux as it's back end... though it does so rather horribly.

I'll put my two cents on linux, since I've run a linux server for several years. There is a steep learning curve for sure, but the amount of things you can do with it are staggering. It's not ideal for someone who relies on an easy to use front end, though it's certainly much better than before (and as said, with Ubuntu it's very close), nor can you use it for everything (video games, graphic editing outside of the gimp, etc), but everything else you may need it to do it can do.

The apache web server is more flexible, easier to use once you know what you're doing and far more stable than IIS. It has all sorts of servers you can use. It's just an all around great product, and for free. The only catch is you only get out of it what you put into it. If you don't want to climb that learning curve, you will only end up frustrated.

In essence, it is not a case of "mac and windows are better". They are all good for different reasons. If you need to use it easily, windows/mac. If you want power and flexibility, with an enormous community to help you, then windows and mac haven't even entered the race.

gamefreak · « **Reply #27 on:** March 13, 2007, 09:00:31 AM »

i think im going to use the ubuntu, but is it that i just downlaod it and i can use linux at anytime?

Sam_Charette · « **Reply #28 on:** March 13, 2007, 10:13:37 AM »

Yup, Linux is totally free that way. Download, install and use it whenever and wherever you like.

JesseWelling · « **Reply #29 on:** March 13, 2007, 11:50:59 AM »

Just a side note: OSX uses a BSD backend.

You can see the evolution and nuances of the BSD, OSX, Linux and Unix in this diagram:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Unix_history.svg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux the wiki where it is found.

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Author Topic: Free simulator (Read 24313 times)

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