Which PIC will be tge good choise?

[skimask]

The PICKIT2 works great with XP. I have not been able to make it work with Linux though.
The PICSTART PLUS works with Linux and MPLAB under wine with no problems but it is expensive. $200.00

Did you ever get the PICKIT2 software to work under WINE in Linux? For that matter, how about PBP?

Now that Ubuntu 8.04 is out, I've been thinking much harder about 'breaking Windoze' permanently. Ubuntu 7.10 seemed to run well on my box (everything worked when using the LiveCD), but 8.04 doesn't like my machine as well (video card doesn't want to update, wireless card won't fire up, etc.)...
But for those Windows only type programs (i.e. the above mentioned), I'll most likely have to run them under Wine.

[mackrackit]

Did you ever get the PICKIT2 software to work under WINE in Linux? For that matter, how about PBP?

Now that Ubuntu 8.04 is out, I've been thinking much harder about 'breaking Windoze' permanently. Ubuntu 7.10 seemed to run well on my box (everything worked when using the LiveCD), but 8.04 doesn't like my machine as well (video card doesn't want to update, wireless card won't fire up, etc.)...
But for those Windows only type programs (i.e. the above mentioned), I'll most likely have to run them under Wine.

Nope. I can not get the PICKIT2 to work with Ubuntu 7.10, I have not tried 8.04 yet.

Using Wine and Ubuntu 7.10, MPLAB with PBP as the language suite and the PICSTART PLUS works great. Better than on my XP machine (lap top with out a serial port). I have one USB to serial converter that will work part of the time with the PICSTART, so I just leave it hooked up to my Linux box.

I have thought about using a virtual machine, but they take a lot of power. Do not go down the dual boot road. In my opinion that is asking for trouble. MBR gets messed up and then both OSs are gone.

To me it all comes down to everything has its use. I have at my work station in the shop two Linux boxes, one with dual monitors and two XP's, one with dual monitors.

Most of the CAD (non PCB) stuff is done on the XP's and about 50% of the PIC's. Linux is used for most everything else though. PC software development depends on what OS it is being designed for. I use KiCad for schematics and PCBs, works on both platforms.

Doing the kind of stuff we do I doubt if you will ever be able to get away from windows completely. But is is nice to run an OS that works (LINUX) for at least part of the day.

[skimask]

Thanks for the heads-up on the programs in question (PBP, MPLAB, PICKIT2, etc.etc.etc.)
I've been reading around this morning trying to find 'easy' fixes for getting the video card (7600GS) and wireless card (D-Link generic 802.11b PCI card) to work in 8.04. Turns out there aren't any 'easy' fixes to anything. I've still got the ISO's still, I'm going to give that another go later this week...and yes...a dual-boot setup. I've never had problems in that arena. Just have to be careful I guess.
And thanks for the tip about KiCAD. Never heard of that before. Looks interesting though...