Originally Posted by
brian.owen
Date for comm issue fix--I will need to have a conversation with Sturmer if I'm going to try to provide a date, I know what he is working on and which obstacles he has to overcome, but I can't put a date on the conclusion of that work. I will find out.
more detail...the plan for fixing comm issues is a controller that 1. does not rely on USB connection, and 2. does not stream moves to the machine from some other device. The controller we have been working on is Linux based, it was not going to be able to run SB3 in its current form--so we have a few choices, revise SB3 to run on linux, adopt 3rd part software, start from scratch building something of our own. SB3 is far from perfect and I don't think anyone felt that it would be a good use of time just to port over a piece of software that is already past its prime. So we opted to develop a new interface from scratch. I know this is the same story you've heard over and over--I just wanted to repeat it for anyone that hasn't followed along for the last 4-5 years. All this is to say--the fix for comm issues is tied up in the development of a new interface. We chose the path that we thought would be best for customers but it has taken too long to get the software up and running. However, that is the current state of things and the people working on the problem are still dedicated and interested in making it work. It is the number one goal for the development team until it is available on all tools. It is not something we can all directly impact, but I think putting it through as many use cases as possible will help it be better--I use FabMo on all of my production tools that cut plastic and metal parts for HB and SB--I need those tools to run all day without interruption, so any problem that prevents me from doing that is reported to the development team.
Since Handibot keeps coming up as an example of ShopBot not caring about customer needs--I think this bears repeating: When a Handibot customer loses a weekend of work due to issues with software (or hardware) I am furious. I have written more support documentation for Handibot than we have for any other recent product. I will drop what I'm doing and drive across states to fix things in person that can't be fixed over the phone. I fume at the thought of someone who has retired and has limited income, purchasing a $3k Handibot expecting to fill his or her time with an enjoyable hobby--only to be confused and frustrated. I think that is just as bad as someone who relies on a tool for business spending $40k and having a bad experience. So please, don't conflate the Handibot's cheerful blue and gold exterior with a lack of seriousness about quality and support--also realize that it is a tiny part of what ShopBot is focused on day to day.
So I'll dig around for more information on dates for Big Tool releases of FabMo on Monday and report back here. Obviously by setting a date, we'll be setting ourselves up for another repeat of this whole thread in 6 months or whatever--but I figure it is better to say what we know and communicate what we're facing if we don't meet a deadline.
So, it's been a week since I last asked "What is the date? " and there has been zero response other than Brian stating that he needed to ask someone named Sturmer to provide a date.
Does Sturmer or Mr. Sturmer, whatever his name is, have an account on the forum? Can he answer the question directly? Is he on vacation on a remote island and can't be reached? Does he have an actual plan to achieve the task of solving the communication problem? Does anyone know where he is? Does anyone else have a plan? Can anyone, I mean anyone, including the custodial staff, guess at a solution and give a date?
I don't care about Fatmo, Handibot or any of the other toys being played with. I want to know what is happening that will solve the problems with PRS Alpha machine, not a toy machine. If you guys and girls at shopbot view anything about handibot that is relevant to fixing the communication issues with my machine, then the answer is obvious to me......there will not be a real fix, just a toy fix.
How about someone at shopbot guessing how long it will be before someone from shopbot will respond on this forum and give a date when the communication problem will be solved.
I am guessing no answer will be given to any of the questions above.
What really, really amazes me is that nobody at shopbot appears to even fathom how much damage to customer loyalty the continuation of this thread is doing. If I were in charge at shopbot and had no idea how or when this problem would be solved, I would've either stepped in and made some kind of conciliatory / rally the troops posting on the forum and then closed the thread or just close the thread.
Do you guys really think that potential customers looking to purchase a CNC machine don't read the postings on your forum? Do you think the rhetoric gives them confidence in a purchase?
Do you really think that competitors aren't reading the postings on your forum?
There have been 8,000 views of this thread, obviously somebody is reading it.
I invested a lot of money in the blue whale sitting in my shop and would much rather that you guys come up with a fix for it so that I don't have to changeover my complete control box, but that's looking like something with a very low probability.
Is anyone at shopbot listening?????? Hello........
Jim
96 x 60 PRSalpha, 5HP Colombo spindle, Custom indexer, Custom vacuum table, Custom Fire Extinguishing System