I hope this doesn't turn into or sound like a rant ... okay, here goes.
Originally Posted by gibbsman I don't mean to sound too negative, but it's my guess that it is not not in Gibbs' interset to make it easy for us to learn the software on our own, considering that they charge 500 dollars a day to take their courses. |
Hmm ... Quite the contrary, it is in Gibbs' best interest to make learning the software to be as easy as possible. A huge cost to companies is Tech Support. If a company can have lower support volume because people aren't calling up asking how to pocket a solid and TS can focus on the tough issues a lot of money can be saved. Any company will at a minimum pay lip service to wanting their s/w to be easy to learn (Adobe and MS, both of which have separate publishing divisions and MS makes a fair bit of cash off of their's) and at the maximum will go to great lengths to ensure it is.
Is GibbsCAM software perfect and so easy to learn that the average 9th grader could learn it inside and out inside of a week? Certainly not, but the basics? Yeah, basic milling or turning shouldn't be a problem. Solids? Well, that's not an easy topic, it's like comparing 9th grade geometry to pre-calc. The tougher the subject the longer it'll take and more is required of both the teacher and student.
Personally, I am always trying to do better as I perceive my job as never done, complete or perfect. There's always a way to do something better. Speaking of which, I think I'll have to look into the techniques used in the Rhino docs. As anyone in my profession will tell you, there is no perfect way to document the software but there is more than one good way.
Hope that wasn't a rant. I think I might be better at helping than offering a response.
Will.
BTW the cost is half what you mentioned and (I'm not in that end of the business so I can't say for sure) not a big revenue maker. Certainly not enough of a motivator to cut back on anything.