[turmite]

OK, I have 1 copy of Rhino w/ Rhino Cam Pro. As you know they use a dongle "which I hate" . I am getting ready to buy another copy for my laptop that I bring on the road. I use a portable CMM for digitizing. Is your BC 2007 compatible and will it process point clouds? If so then you have my attention.

Joe the Madcam plugin does not use a dongle. I hate them as well and the only two I have had on my computer gave me problems. BTW one of those was an early BC version with a dongle!

pm me if you are interested in giving Madcam a try. There are some changes about to take place you might be interested in.

[COMMAND JOHN]

Dongle is no problem on my pc.

[joefox]

Dongles are just another thing to get lost or stolen and the software manufacturers know it.
A guy down the road from me loaded up all of his stuff in a hurry evacuating for hurricane Katrina. He unplugged the tower from his PC and left the monitor, printer, & USB HUB! His place got washed out and he lost his stuff. He had Master cam and Surf cam packages worth over 20 grand each for his 5 axis machines. Not one manufacturer would supply new Dongles. He didn't have flood insurance either.
He told me that he preferred Surf cam so thats the only major software he repurchased. He said for $800 he had a company make a back up dongle that he keeps locked up.

[tobyaxis]

One of my friend is walking around with a quarter million dollar laptop.

Maybe in Software Packages, but not the actual Lap Top, right???? What brand or Build of Lap Top??? $250,000 is a lot to be walking around with, are you sure??

I'm not poking fun, but just curious.

Cheers

[tobyaxis]

He told me that he preferred Surf cam so thats the only major software he repurchased. He said for $800 he had a company make a back up dongle that he keeps locked up.

You do know that this is an Illegal act right??? This is considered to be Pirating and is against the LAW!!!

"To Each His/Her Own"

Cheers!!!!

[joefox]

He builds custom Plasma Cutters and also services all types of CNC machinery. He is a reseller for the majority of the software brands. If you name it. Theres a very good chance he has it on his laptop. When I set up my 5 axis machines he had a list of software in a folder that must be over 100 titles. Its everything from Master Cam, Surf cam, Visual Mill, Rhino, Bob CAD, and tons more. Then there are software programs to communicate with different controllers. Thats a huge list by it self. I needed the Allen Bradley ODS software for my 5 axis machines and he opened the folder and said which version.......he had all of them. He has been in the industry since card feed machines were the hot product. He must be 64 because he was talking about retiring in a year when he can draw his SS check. I want that laptop!!!!!

[COMMAND JOHN]

That laptop must need one big dongle.

[joefox]

He has a 3 ring binder that has plastic pouches that hold them I think he might have 20-30. Some are USB and some of the older ones look like they fit a printer port. A lot of the older software isn't protected. He has a binder with folder after folder of huge floppy disk that I have never seen before.
He was telling me that he flies all over the country to work on older equipment because there aren't many people left that know the language and how to fix equipment from the 70's and 80's. In 15-20 years people are going to be in a bind when these older people drop dead.

[COMMAND JOHN]

Well you are be right about that.

[tobyaxis]

He has a 3 ring binder that has plastic pouches that hold them I think he might have 20-30. Some are USB and some of the older ones look like they fit a printer port. A lot of the older software isn't protected. He has a binder with folder after folder of huge floppy disk that I have never seen before.
He was telling me that he flies all over the country to work on older equipment because there aren't many people left that know the language and how to fix equipment from the 70's and 80's. In 15-20 years people are going to be in a bind when these older people drop dead.

That is the reason why we are here. To Learn as well as Teach. Maybe we can beat the steady decline of Skilled Tradesman in Manufacturing.

Personally, I don't want to Retire. It sounds Boring.