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Re: Paid upgrade For 2019 upcoming Version 5.0

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 2:23 pm
by DoctorRudd
B-H-S wrote: Wed Aug 07, 2019 3:02 pm what is today may not be tomorrow.
This also could count for S3D...

I purchased S3D in 2015, because there was no "nice" and "beginner friendly" open source slicer. But this changed ;)

Re: Paid upgrade For 2019 upcoming Version 5.0

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 2:49 pm
by B-H-S
Totally Agree

Re: Paid upgrade For 2019 upcoming Version 5.0

Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 6:10 pm
by mdavis1863
I don't think there is anything wrong with a paid upgrade. First of all, it is kind of unrealistic to expect infinite work for a finite fee.

Secondly, you are really just complaining about their choice of name. Maybe calling it 5.0 makes you feel like you should get it for free, but they could just as easily call it "NewSlicer" and position it as a completely separate product, and it would amount to the same thing.

I have done a lot of SW licenses in my life (both as licensee and licensor), and some limitation on updates always exists. Nobody is going to sign up to give you all of the work they do for the rest of their life for free. There is always some limitation on the features, etc. that are considered within the scope of "updates", and the licensor always has the ability to create new products that aren't within that scope.

You might be thinking "but it is called Simplify5.0 and I bought 4.0, how is that not an update?" Well, I have never seen a contract that used naming as the basis for the definition of update. I can't say none exist, but if they do that is a stupid and meaningless definition. Any lawyer with a brain would reject it as the basis of defining an "update."

If this is a major upgrade, then I don't see anything inconsistent with S3D having promised "updates for life" and now charging a fee for 5.0. This simply means it isn't in scope for an update to the previous product. There is always a limit to what is considered an "update." Now if it turns out to be a handful of bugfixes, then you might have reason to complain. But since none of us have seen 5.0, I think it is premature to complain.

Re: Paid upgrade For 2019 upcoming Version 5.0

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 12:07 pm
by BRLewitt
My question is when will we even see it? And yes I know it'll come out when it's done, but dang companies float trial balloons sometimes years out and it'd be nice if things came out a little closer to when they were announced.

I have no problem paying for an update if it brings value...

I think in this case, the delayed release has allowed the negativity to fester and they should have just sprung an awesome upgrade so at least there'd be some chance of positive reviews to outweigh the outcry. Announcing this ~ 7 months ago really only had downside potential from a PR perspective in my mind and really didn't generate the positive buzz I'd imagine they were hoping for.


Ben

Re: Paid upgrade For 2019 upcoming Version 5.0

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 3:08 pm
by B-H-S
Just for the Record I'm not complaining, And if there are new features and it is capable of handling dual heads ect, I have no objection in paying for an upgrade.

Re: Paid upgrade For 2019 upcoming Version 5.0

Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2019 5:01 pm
by CWAVE6K
I for one wouldn't be opposed to a reasonable upgrade price to go to a major revision provided I saw value in the features through my daily workflow.

I bought into Simplify3D at version 2, and the software has served me well through the last version 3 they released (never tried v4 yet).

I'm very pleased with the product. I honestly don't think they owe me anything at this point given that the software still serves my needs on a daily basis.

I do appreciate this companies commitment to this product and am happy to continue supporting their efforts.

Re: Paid upgrade For 2019 upcoming Version 5.0

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 1:36 am
by Maker
If the new version has been tested, I hope that S3D can release a new version, there are major updates, and paid upgrades are fine.
Although the new version will be released later, it is enough to allow some users to jump out of the one-year free upgrade guarantee... but I want to try new features ahead of time to improve print quality and are willing to pay for the upgrade.
Or S3D can consider the guarantee of one year free upgrade is limited to this version, for example, only V5~V5.9, other versions require paid upgrades, accelerated version updates and new features, and revenue.
Also, consider allowing certain users to pay for the upgrade in advance and use the new version in advance.

Re: Paid upgrade For 2019 upcoming Version 5.0

Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2019 6:36 am
by arhi
Wallabear wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 12:52 pm IF they release 5.0 I will look at it
with the "no preview / no trial" policy s3d goes with ... I'm pretty sure I will not look at it
Wallabear wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 12:52 pm but right now, I am really living in the PS2.0 camp
I'm slic3r user for years, moved to prusa fork some time back, then moved to that german fork with autolayerheight, then back to prusa and now to ps2 .. it always did bridging better than s3d, but what was the most important part for me were modifier meshes that are 10x easier to work with that s3d and are implemented better than s3d ... now they are hitting at the core of the s3d so I don't see the point of continuing with s3d .. but .. who knows .. we'll see
Wallabear wrote: Thu Aug 22, 2019 12:52 pm If you are going to charge for your software when there are really good free ones you have ....
well let's be honest here, there are ppl that use the version of s3d that was out when they purchased it, and they never even upgraded, they don't come to forum, they don't monitor what else is out there, they just use s3d as is and they are happy .. I know ppl I convinced to purchase s3d that are still on 3.0 .. didn't even bother to go to 3.1 for the bugfixes.. they just don't care "it works for them" .. so there's always going to be a market for s3d, no matter how much they charge and what features they do (not) have .. as there will always be ppl like that .. so "you have to.." part just don't work, they don't have to do nothing.. and we have to understand that they don't have to do nothing (took me a while to accept that) ..

Re: Paid upgrade For 2019 upcoming Version 5.0

Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2019 1:18 pm
by arhi
I thought about this 'cause it makes zero sense to me... found out some less known info about s3d... still stuff didn't make sense to me .. so I concluded that "as is" they are either selling ton of licenses or they are not selling any... if "selling ton" is true then, well, what works don't change it... if they are not selling any, they probbly gave up on the product long time ago and don't want to put more effort reviving dead animal .. I could not find a third option that made sense to me.. but who knows, logic can be very personal sometimes :) ... I doubt we'll ever know... what I do have issue with is the "need to have active server on-line to use existing version of s3d" but..

I was telling many ppl to go with s3d, to calculate it as a part of the cost of the "supported printer" as if you purchase a "plug & play" printer that's directly supported by s3d (have predefined profiles that give decent print quality) and you purchase s3d you will not bug me in the middle of the night "why this don't work" ... so less work for me .. I purchased s3d so I just know what they talk about when they do call.. and for short while actually did use it .. but ...

Re: Paid upgrade For 2019 upcoming Version 5.0

Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2019 11:41 pm
by grue19
i'm only 2 years into 3d printing as a hobby and occasional work related prints, and for these 2 years i've mostly used the one everyone else uses by a printer maker. i finally made the switch to s3d for curiosity, for chasing the "perfect print" i figured i had 30 days to return it so what's the worst that could happen.

i decided to keep it after 1 week of messing around with it for 2 reasons:

1) too damn many settings in the other program
2) i quickly realized that settings and features in s3d that are available actually made a difference i could _see_ in my prints

on point 1, i know 3 businesses in my community that also use s3d like other posters have said "because it works". and me, yes it just works and i don't have to worry about every other minute thing.

on point 2, don't ask me why, but i could start seeing temperature differences in my prints, i could see retraction and coasting and wiping differences in my prints. maybe part of this is that although these settings may be in other programs there were so many other settings that i got them all screwed up and couldn't get good prints anymore. this leads me to thinking s3d put together a package that allows control over what is most effective in a given printing situation. tuning my prints has never been easier.

finally i am printing with supports now more than i ever thought and i'm not stressed out about it. and the slicing of s3d is great, i've had models that 2 or 3 other free slicers had crazy internal looking birds nests and s3d just looks right and it prints right.

my guess is they made add a few features that seem like heavy hitters, automatic variable layer height would be nice for example.

now here's the thing - i say all of the above, but i am glad i spent 2 years with other software that made me learn what settings do and thus how the 3d printing and slicing process works. so ultimately i feel like s3d is a "relief" of the dread of free slicers.