A stepping motor, comprising: a first member; a second member; the first and second members being mounted for movement relative to one another; the first member having a plurality of poles (31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38); the poles (31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38) of the first member being spaced substantially equidistantly along the first member thereby defining a first member pole pitch; the second member having a plurality of arms (21, 22, 24, 26); each arm (21, 22, 24, 26) having a plurality of fingers (27, 28) protruding from the arm, a permanent magnet positioned on the arm between at least two of the plurality of fingers, and a coil wound around the arm; and the plurality of fingers (27, 28) having distal ends arranged to generally face toward the poles (31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38); the second member having a finger pitch defined by the first member pole pitch, wherein for linear stepping motors the finger pitch equals the first member pole pitch and wherein for rotary motors the finger pitch is the product of the first member pole pitch multiplied by the ratio of the second member inner diameter to the first member outer diameter at the motor air gap between the second member inner diameter and the first member outer diameter; each permanent magnet of the second member having a width that is greater than one finger pitch of the second member; wherein each arm (21, 22, 24, 26) is associated with one of a number of phases; and wherein the fingers (27, 28) of the arms (21, 22, 24, 26) within a particular phase are arranged to simultaneously align with respective poles when the first and second members are in one position relative to one another. a first member; a second member; the first and second members being mounted for movement relative to one another; the first member having a plurality of poles (31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38); the poles (31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38) of the first member being spaced substantially equidistantly along the first member thereby defining a first member pole pitch; the second member having a plurality of arms (21, 22, 24, 26); each arm (21, 22, 24, 26) having a plurality of fingers (27, 28) protruding from the arm, a permanent magnet positioned on the arm between at least two of the plurality of fingers, and a coil wound around the arm; and the plurality of fingers (27, 28) having distal ends arranged to generally face toward the poles (31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38); each arm (21, 22, 24, 26) having a plurality of fingers (27, 28) protruding from the arm, a permanent magnet positioned on the arm between at least two of the plurality of fingers, and a coil wound around the arm; and the plurality of fingers (27, 28) having distal ends arranged to generally face toward the poles (31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38); a plurality of fingers (27, 28) protruding from the arm, a permanent magnet positioned on the arm between at least two of the plurality of fingers, and a coil wound around the arm; and the plurality of fingers (27, 28) having distal ends arranged to generally face toward the poles (31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 38); the second member having a finger pitch defined by the first member pole pitch, wherein for linear stepping motors the finger pitch equals the first member pole pitch and wherein for rotary motors the finger pitch is the product of the first member pole pitch multiplied by the ratio of the second member inner diameter to the first member outer diameter at the motor air gap between the second member inner diameter and the first member outer diameter; each permanent magnet of the second member having a width that is greater than one finger pitch of the second member; wherein each arm (21, 22, 24, 26) is associated with one of a number of phases; and wherein the fingers (27, 28) of the arms (21, 22, 24, 26) within a particular phase are arranged to simultaneously align with respective poles when the first and second members are in one position relative to one another.