Hi again bushpig, thanks for sticking with PixelCNC! I can say that you're definitely not the first person to ask about native Linux support. The situation with putting out a Linux build is that I personally have zero experience developing anything on/for Linux - and only minor experience using a few different distros years ago. It would be a project unto itself just for me to figure everything out and get Linux builds up and running, completely interrupting the advancement of PixelCNC's features for the interim. Right now development focus is on realizing the original vision for PixelCNC: implementing all of the planned features and functionality, etc..

Once that is complete we will be transitioning PixelCNC from alpha to beta and change gears into more of a testing/debugging and promotion mode. That's when a Linux port would likely occur as it would be a lot easier to take a functionally-complete program and get everything in it to work properly on Linux. This is in contrast with taking the time right now to get a Linux build running and then still having to go back and forth testing each new build on Linux as features are implemented over time - slowing down development progress as a whole. Testing on multiple versions of Windows has proven more problematic than I could've imagined it would be just as things stand - and bugs still slip through with each release!

I hate to disappoint but Linux just isn't on the todo list while we're still in alpha. There have been users who apparently are able to run PixelCNC under Linux via WINE. Have you tried that yet? I don't know the full extent of its compatibility/incompatibility when using WINE to run it but so far I haven't heard many complaints so that might be a viable option for you in the meantime. 

If/when sales pick up more and I could pay somebody to maintain a Linux build I would totally be all for it. Once the canvas system is fully functional - which is the top priority at the moment - I will be putting out some more videos showing off features for marketing purposes and also tutorial videos showing how to accomplish different projects. Even though this takes away from development time it is always nice to be making money too, and could end up resulting in being able to afford a designated Linux guy.

I estimate we'll be in beta within a year, so if a Linux build were going to happen I'd imagine it would happen within that timeframe as well. Keep your fingers crossed!