Thanks for all the good info, Unterhaus! I'm glad for a definitive answer to the parallel/serial question. The user's manual didn't even contain the word "serial," but I didn't want to go only by that. The more I think about it, the more I'm realizing that when I swap this computer out for a new one, I can remove both of the PCI cards (only has 2 slots - currently Nvidia and an ATI All-In-Wonder), and use regular onboard video, and then I'll have room for
something like this.
And yes, I've been Windows since the beginning, Mac for a year back in the late 90s, but ever since I got pretty majorly hacked through a VNC hole a few weeks back, I've just decided I'm finally tired of all the rampant security holes, and Microsoft's increasingly controlling ways. I have 0, no wait,
negative interest in Vista. I'm tired of handing over control and freedom. I'm going to dual-boot my new PC with XP and Ubuntu, and make this old one just Ubuntu over on my workbench, and network them together for sharing things. I'll likely do my modeling in Maya on XP (which I also use at work), generate the G-code, and send it over to the old PC at the mill.
But now I'm just thinking out loud. Thanks again for the info.