D Murphy wrote:

The cost of computing power has come way down and this has translated to
much faster, more capable machine tools at pretty reasonable prices. You
have a confluence of events, nearly six years of strong growth, high
order levels, scarcity of skilled workers, new and more productive
technologies, and a big ole tax break which made buying a new machine
kind of a no-brainer.

4-5 years ago my company bought a new Mazak 4kW LASER. The control is
right out of the '80's, crude interface, input is through a DB25
serial port. Last summer, we bought another Mazak 4kW, basically the
same iron. The control runs Linux, input through RJ45 network port,
any of several USB ports...or DB9 serial port. The new machine cost
less and can run the same programs as the old one.

David