Here is the long and short of a conversation I had with a salesgoof from BobCad today:
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This afternoon I recieved a sales call from BobCad trying to sell me the new
"Award winning" software. After saying money is tight now, cant afford it, this guy says they are no longer supporting the old versions.
I asked him if I needed an activation code in the event of a computer failure, would they still give it to me? Then he says if I buy the new stuff there is no need to worry, I said that wasnt an answer to my question. He then asked what version I had and I told him 20.5, he says hang on a minute then put me on hold, when he came back he says nope, no support for versions older than 21.
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I then proceded to lay into him using words not generally used in public, saying why the hell would I want to buy the new stuff only for Bocad to decided they dont want to support it anymore in a few years.

What a joke.

CNCDUDE (Chris) I dont know if this decision is yours or if you are even in charge to these goofs anymore but this is BS.
Tell your goofs not to call, unless my post processer for 20.5 is done being fixed where I can mill the ends of a part and drill 4-holes in it without editing the code, because that is where things were left after my last purchase.

Scott Schmidt
Solution Engineering & Mfg

Tell your goofs not to call, unless my post processer for 20.5 is done being fixed where I can mill the ends of a part and drill 4-holes in it without editing the code, because that is where things were left after my last purchase.

Scott Schmidt
Solution Engineering & Mfg

editting a post is not a big issue for V20/21...V20 is almost the same as V21 only a couple of thing changed...have you thought about posting the question on BBC support site?....given that fact that V20 has not been sold for 5 years...

No, I gave up and just edit the code now.
The fact of the matter is that when I purchased the software the salesgoof told me there was a "bulletproof" post for my machine. I called a half dozen times about post problems and they were always nice but never got the post to work right. The machine in question is a Southwestrn Industries DPM S3 with an A.G.E. 3 control.
I know that BobCad guys visit this forum, but when you ask the sales-apes about problems with newer versions they always say "they are'nt aware of any problems"
Please explain the uninformed salesguys to me.
It has to be one of two things.
1. The training the sales-apes recieve is terrible and they don't know about the issues.
2. They know of the problems but, lie to your face anyway to get a sale.

It has to be one of two things.
1. The training the sales-apes recieve is terrible and they don't know about the issues.
2. They know of the problems but, lie to your face anyway to get a sale

Or how about both of the 2 combined. :)

Scott,
They will give you a new activation key for older software, I have an older version wire and had a computer crash and had to install the software onto another computer, I emailed them and a day or two later I had the activation number in my email.

Just thought I would pass that on.

Dave

The machine in question is a Southwestrn Industries DPM S3 with an A.G.E. 3 control.
I know that BobCad guys visit this forum, but when you ask the sales apes
I have a DPM w/AGE 3 control , what issues are you having? I use the basic AGE3 for my 2X mill and a custom post for the 3X mill.

Is BobCad owned by MFGQuote?

And what award did they win?

Just curious :)

I slept on this last night and want to clarify some thoughts.
1. I have talked to Chris Corbell (sp?) in the past. He has been helpful and seems to want things right and seems to care about his customers.
2. I would like to think that they would give you a new code for the old software if you needed it and that my issue yesterday was just some horses*!t salesguy tactic that finally rubbed me the wrong way.
3. I am not disappointed in my purchase of 2 seats of v20.5, for the money I can't complain.
4. The problem is with the sales tactics and either the none educated or uncaring salesguys. V20.5 would have been the best deal on the planet if it lived up to the salesguys pitch and his word. I think they could serve their business better being up front and just preach the bang for the buck, as this is where my 20.5 shines. Everyone with half a brain researches software these days and most know the issues each has. The first insult is when they don't come forward about the issues and the second insult is not coming clean when asked about known issues.
I don't really care that my post isnt up to snuff, the code is easy to fix manually for the small programs I usually run.
Its not the software (20.5) that pisses me off, its the salesguys.

Chris,
You would be suprised at your sales if you would have honest, informed and educated saleforce. If a guy says "nope times are hard, no money" just say" if we can help with anything in the future please call" and then leave them alone, don't just abruptly hang up like how it usually goes after throughly wearing out your welcome.
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The leader of this salesforce should probably find another career, as sales is not his/her strong point.
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Salesmen should be in the loop when it comes to complaints, so they are informed enough to know when "not" to sell a product that does not fit a customers needs. Sometimes you are better off pointing the customer it the direction of a competitor than you are selling something they are unable to use.

Another thing to address is the direction you want to go with your business, now Chris I'm sure there is someone above you, we'll call them "The Regime". In my experience the regime is always demanding the unachievable; "Don't have time to test, just sell it", "You have to sell X amount this month or your done", "Don't care about you having families to feed, I'm setting up a business in India that will write the code for $20 and then sell it to the American side of BobCad for $10,000 so we can claim nothing but losses on the American side and take the tax free profit out of India".
I have heard all these lines, all coming from some greedy, rich Bast#$d who is on the nonstop train to hell. They don't care weather the product is software or rubber dog crap as long as they get their money. Businesses like I just described are already dead, they just don't know it yet.
If this is the case, you'll live longer by just walking away......no one deserves that kind of stress.

Peace man

Scott Schmidt

Solution,
I understand how you felt after that call. All I can say is that we support our customers the best way we can. Do we provide support for customers that have version 18? YES we do. Do we encourage them to at least upgrade to V21. YES we do. Do we keep all of the older systems and make them available to those that had them wiped out or some other reason? YES we have them all the way back to Version 16 or Version 17 I believe. And we occasionally help customers download them and get them set up. I don't know where that came from about the supporting of earlier versions back to V18. I will look into that one.

As we move forward in product development there is a point where we cut off support on very early versions. I believe you have V20?? We'll support you if you have the membership for it. Should you upgrade to at least V21?? I would say yes but that is entirely up to you. The sales team will be in the loop on this. As far as a "Regime" goes, I don't see one around here but thanks for asking. If you need V20 support......call me.
Sincerely,
CNC Dude

By the way.....who is MFGQuote??

By the way.....who is MFGQuote??

Maybe he means this???? http://www.mfgquote.com/

Maybe he means this???? http://www.mfgquote.com/

Don't click that! Those people are horrible! Nothing good to say about them.

Don't click that! Those people are horrible! Nothing good to say about them.

I agree 100%:rainfro:

Swag,
I apologize for not getting back to you. It didnt dawn on me until I was on my way to the Doc's office with one of my little guys, that I didn't respond to your offer.
I do appreciate the assistance.
The problem is, the post will miss the first hole I choose in a drilling operation after a milling operation. There is one other issue that eludes me now as I havent written a program using Bobcad for a while.
Thank you for your effort.

Chris,
Thanks for responding I appreciate that as well.
Can you shed a little light on the salesguy issues?
I've had them start out at $1500 and 6 minutes later they were at $250 for the same product. You just don't seem like the kind that would condone such practices.

Scott

Swag,
I apologize for not getting back to you. It didnt dawn on me until I was on my way to the Doc's office with one of my little guys, that I didn't respond to your offer.
I do appreciate the assistance.
Scott
Sorry I kinda was stressed and should not have reacted like that!
Mark(chair)

PS look at the post I sent you in PM, It should work for you.

Swag,

The problem is, the post will miss the first hole I choose in a drilling operation after a milling operation.


Scott

Are you saying that the software doesn't post

or

When you run the program the machine skips the first hole?



V21 or older version of BobCAD are very easy to use and customize. The thing is when it comes to posting it's like writing a program by hand. Every step other then the main blocks or code are done by the user.

I think if you understood better how that version of BobCAD works you would be so upset with it.

Have you ever heard of cimco edit, ( how ever it's spelled I forgot ) Any way it's a great editor that allows you to save blocks of code and call them up when you need them.

This is the same was BobCAD V15-V21 works. The difference is the editor is connected to a CAD package where you can draw tool path, select it and convert it to G1 2 3's in 2D or 3D

It's a very basic package but with a little work with the post and macro's you can get it to do just about anything. *** You can get it to do just about anything, the software really doesn't do anything for you besides creating some tool path.

If you need help editing the post you could always fill out a post request form to BobCAD. Even though you stupid sales guy told you there is not support for v20, that's really not true. You can edit the post yourself or have BobCAD do one for you.

The AGE 2 or 3 that you are running is a really common machine and BobCAD has lot's of those post on there website.

post your post ( lol ) in the form and show us what you want done to it , and I am sure I can help or someone else in this form can.

I haven't used V20 in a while, but I have used ever version from 15 -23 so I am sure I can help.

The post work the same for V18 - V21. You can do some scripting and things like that but I don't think that is needed for what you are doing.

With some machine I have used in the past I needed to drill a dummy hole first then the holes I wanted to drill. I am not sure why but if I didn't do this the machine would always skip my first hole and cut the rest....

Any way I look forward to you putting you V20 post on here so I can take a crack at it!

Did you ever upgrade or solve your troubles? And did you become fluent with the software that you had?