Yep lol, I like the Heidenhain as they are very methodical about how they put the controls together, they are all backward compatible etc and all the info on PLC progamming and parameter settings are all easy to download off their sight. Plus all their test equipment is easy to use..they have a device that plugs into the encoder ports and led's go red or green depending if it's ok or not..real easy..same with the encoders..they just plug into the test unit and a quick turn of the shaft gives a trace on the screen and everything is checked by the unit. Encoders can be swapped for linear scales with only a few parameter changes..same plugs and wiring for both usually.
The PLC is burned on to eraseable EEPROMS and can be loaded to ram from the EEPROMs for safe keeping on a pc or visa versa a PLC program can be Rs232'd to the control and then sent to the EEPROMS. On the 355 PLC progs can be written or edited at the pendant and and test run by the control to check for errors before saving.
I think the 355 will do upto 9999 tools and will work on twin tool changers and there was a full 5 axis plus spindle version available.
At least you can power up the old Heidenhain on the bench if ever you want to learn more about it..as long as you have the old encoders plugged in it shouldn't alarm out
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John