SusiT140V wrote: ↑Mon Aug 27, 2018 7:08 am
I really REALLY want to be positive, especially as there is now a presence on the forum from the S3D guys (Hi!), but I have seen this kind of 'announcement' too many times from other companies in the past.
Like Micro$oft at E3 2013 where excitement got the better of them and announced the 'XBOX One Home Video Recorder' that nearly destroyed the console.
Or is it just another a marketing placeholder - "Watch this space" (AKA - don't abandon us)?
However, I do welcome this new approach towards a new era of enlightenment with open arms, and hope it is neither of the above, but a genuine move away from the way the business has been run to date. This would be a major step towards improving user confidence in the Team and the future of the S3D software.
As I work as a support technician for a major UK filament company, I need to keep familiar with new releases of S3D, so I can say with confidence that my custom is assured for the foreseeable future.
In the Real World, I now use Cura for most of my slicing as IMHO, it has greatly surpassed S3D in its general slicing capabilities. I now just 'shadow-slice' with S3D (and Slic3r), just to keep my hand in with the software.
Knowing what I know of S3D in its current form, would I buy it for myself?
Probably not.
I used to recommend S3D to our customers on a daily basis - I have not done this for at least six months now.
IMHO, it currently is not worth the money.
It has a few advantages such as the reasonably-logical workflow, and processes are extremely powerful, but some basic stuff - like the support options are somewhat lacking - setting manual supports can be a nightmare on objects with complex geometry, and the profile system is just awful when you have many different machines involved. (Saving that info in the Registry was just not cool either)
This really isn't meant to be a rant, it's an honest reflection of how I feel as an S3D customer of nearly two years.
I truly hope that the lack of engagement from the S3D management is now over forever and I can start feeling positive about the worth of the software once more.
A lack of substance, in what amounts to a "We're still alive - Jam Tomorrow!" announcement, totally lacking in any substance, at the moment is just looking like a slap of paint over the cracks of the old mismanagement of the customer base.
Hence, I am cynical.
The Simplify3D software has so much potential, so please PLEASE prove me wrong.