[TheBigJW]

Brought this up in the wrong thread so I wanted to move it here.

So if Mastercam has thrown Version 9 in the garbage is it really stealing to use if without a license? Should the companies have to support the product for them to expect our government to enforce the laws to protect it.

Another thought. If X5(2005) is all it's cracked up to be they could give Version 9 away for free and everyone would like it so much they would flock to pay for the X5(2005) upgrade....

John

[foxsquirrel]

The only shop I would give Mcrap too would be one of my competitors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!

[cnckid]

I agree. Legacy software? Jibberish for dont upgrade, we dont know you anymore. Been on V9 since 2001, was on maintenance when X cameout, got the upgrade code for the USB dongle, but never, and I mean never got the X software upgrade. Gave up trying after 2 years of going up and down the ladder, it was shipped, it was shipped to the wrong customer, etc. Since X was such a drastic change and being a small 2-3 man shop I kept making chips with V9 and happy to do so. Eventually thinking I would migrate to X. Well X2, then X3, X4, now X5 and I still use V9. I thought about upgrading to the current version since I have X, on paper anyway, but I think it will cost as much as a new seat purchase so not an incentive to move.

[foxsquirrel]

WOW! that is bad news. Solidcam sends you the dongle programmed BUT you must call them to get the license code to turn it on. This eliminates all the did not recieve scams.

Sadly your story falls in the crap pile, my company has been selling on the internet for 12 years and you would not believe the BS we hear. Several of our items were shipped via USPS mail for under a $1, one customer said he did not get it so he was upgraded to the next better item for free (about 2.5 times the cost more) just to stay in good with the customer. That same week we had over 10 phone calls from people claiming the same thing!!!!!! The A hole got on one of these forums and told everyone how to scam us. Sadly now everyone pays $3.00 for shipping due to the delivery confirmation. Your story is bad, but until you deal with type of BS its hard to understand.

Our MC rep did say if they had a police report and $500 we could get another dongle and if the its ran over by the forklift besure to sweep up the crumbs and send it back for a replacement. (this is how I remember the conversation from several years ago).

[TheBigJW]

I agree. Legacy software? Jibberish for dont upgrade, we dont know you anymore. Been on V9 since 2001, was on maintenance when X cameout, got the upgrade code for the USB dongle, but never, and I mean never got the X software upgrade. Gave up trying after 2 years of going up and down the ladder, it was shipped, it was shipped to the wrong customer, etc. Since X was such a drastic change and being a small 2-3 man shop I kept making chips with V9 and happy to do so. Eventually thinking I would migrate to X. Well X2, then X3, X4, now X5 and I still use V9. I thought about upgrading to the current version since I have X, on paper anyway, but I think it will cost as much as a new seat purchase so not an incentive to move.

Mastercam doesn't do customer service. Remember you don't have to when your the greatest software that ever existed with the most seats in the known universe.

John

[foxsquirrel]

Mastercam doesn't do customer service. Remember you don't have to when your the greatest software that ever existed with the most seats in the known universe.

John

The banking industry thought they were to big to fail, umhhhhh......

X3's geometry selection issue followed along to a Win 7 64 install, guess it was not the .net framework the MC Rep kept saying caused the problem and had to be updated, at the time it was something to say to get the customer off the phone.

[cnckid]

Hey foxsquirrel, your post is a little confusing for me. Surely you are not implying I was trying to scam MC out of an upgrade, and my story is crap? maybe I am reading it wrong?

[foxsquirrel]

I think my wording might be a little off, NOT implying anything at all. Just letting you know what its like to be on "other side of the fence".

[cnckid]

That's cool. I completely agree that there are those out there that want something for nothing and will come up with all kinds of excuses or reasons why they did not get something, be it the software or a new dongle or whatever. I appreciate the time and effort that goes into the programs that I make my living with and gladly pay for them. Thank the heavens there are those like you out there that can create these programs. I have been in the machining business for 40 years and I have done it from hole puch flex writer to hand writing g-code at the control. I have a dongle for ArtCAM Pro and basically loose it and pay for a new seat, 7K when I purchased in 2001. I have a dongle for MasterCAM and the problem I meant to convey was that I had the dongle, paid for the upgrade, got the code for the dongle to run the upgrade, but just never received the CD package to install it. So it just became a comical issue for me after several contacts since I was and still am running V9.

[foxsquirrel]

I believe you can go to MC site and still download it and the HASP software, you should be good to go. CADCAM is rep and might straighten me out if this is not correct information. Here X3 was downloaded and it checked the dongle so you might have to install the HASP first then run the X version you paid for.

[Superman]

cnckid
I'm not a rep, just an ordinary user-so the info I give may not be fully accurate

The file given to you is a .Hcode file for updating the HASP with a "maintenance expiry date" with the levels and add-ons, that you did purchase at the beginning. This allows Mastercam to run only the items that were purchased by you on that USB Hasp

This enables you to download, install and run any software, from the Mastercam website, that falls before that expiry date


eg
you should be able to download and run Mcam X SP1
expiry date of 04/01/06 means you install and run Mcam X MR2
expiry date of 08/01/07 means you install and run Mcam 2X MU2 SP1

mastercam download site

PS. I also suggest that X3 not be touched at all. It lasted only a short time, and there seemed many complaints. We jumped from the last X2 version to X4, missing X3 altogether.
Many are still running X3 and bi.tching that Mcam doesn't work...I wonder why they they still run X3

[foxsquirrel]

Many are still running X3 and bi.tching that Mcam doesn't work...I wonder why they they still run X3

Well, if they would have fixed my post problems, an issue that cranked me up in the beginning I would have continued with maint. and moved out of X3. MC's BS did not get them very far. I just bought a seat of SolidCam 3D HSM with maint. and will continue with their maint. because:

1. The SC Tech got the post right and worked with me, I now have a Haas post that will work with the G154 P series of work offsets. The "stock" post they sent has been cutting parts without any problems. All I did was drop line numbers and some other little thing.

2. I had a freak issue that required FunTech, SW and SC to work together to resolve. They grabbed the problem and ran with it, the problem has been promptly resolved and everything is now working fine. Most importantly FunTech, SOLIDWORKS AND SOLIDCAM KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS!!!!!!!!!!!

[cadcam]

all you wanted was a Haas post that worked with the G154 p series like the Horizontal Haas use. Should of asked here. I know I have one for X4 and I think it is the one I did for X3. I love the ***** fest here. I know not all dealers are the greatest at support but not all dealers are the same.

[foxsquirrel]

I know not all dealers are the greatest at support but not all dealers are the same.

I agree with you totally on that one, however, the dealers have zero control of planned obsolesence and issuing hot patches for fundamental flows in the software. (buyers should not get any upgrades, just fixes to bugs if they opt out of maint.)

With my limited experience using SolidCam so far it has impressed me, even if I was 100% satisfied with MC migrating to SC would have been unavoidable after the demo. Its so much simpler to use, not looking for check boxes hidden 3 levels deep, well planned GUI. All we need to do is cut parts NOT play around tweaking this and check boxing that, restarting the software so I can see what geometery has been selected for chaining (X3), etc.

Just wish I would have found out about SC before blowing $17,000 on MC...........

[TheBigJW]

With my limited experience using SolidCam so far it has impressed me, even if I was 100% satisfied with MC migrating to SC would have been unavoidable after the demo.

Just wish I would have found out about SC before blowing $17,000 on MC...........

+1000

I am sure there a lot of people are thinking the same thing. I know I am.
Hopefully continuing failure of the dealer based sales model will eventually lead to the demise of CNC or the resurrection of real customer service. And stable price protection for customers outside the US.

John

[jjacoby]

Eliminating dealers means the software company has to create much better written and video training. I looked at the link for Solidcam that you put up. I was very impressed with all the free training they have available on there web site. I wish mastercam has this.

[TheBigJW]

Eliminating dealers means the software company has to create much better written and video training. I looked at the link for Solidcam that you put up. I was very impressed with all the free training they have available on there web site. I wish mastercam has this.

I think the lack of training material is to support the dealers.

Can you believe this? I called my dealer for a V9 post and was told they would not help me with it because V9 was "sunset". Meaning not supported any more. But the same dealer sells all kinds of training material for V9? WTF? Is it dead or not? Double standard? We won't help you but you can buy a book right over there...

John

John

[foxsquirrel]

+1000

I am sure there a lot of people are thinking the same thing. I know I am.
Hopefully continuing failure of the dealer based sales model will eventually lead to the demise of CNC or the resurrection of real customer service. And stable price protection for customers outside the US.

John

That type of software does require a special model to fund future developement, and that is understood. What they chose to release to non maint. buyers needs to be carefully thought out, leaving someone with obsolete software after 2 years is just a greed based decision, and disregard for the buyers survival in a very tight margin enviroment.

I don't believe their current sales model will go away, brick & mortar and face to face are still the most powerfull tools to sell products. They would be better off passing all the sales over to one company that has a large footprint and tight control over national/regional/state wide sales offices.

After using SolidCam, I strongly believe MC's user interface and others issues will get the best of them. If they made it right with me and supplied X3 that is stable and will work with SW 2011 I would not use it! Solidcam has totally streamlined the process from design to making chips.....

[foxsquirrel]

Eliminating dealers means the software company has to create much better written and video training. I looked at the link for Solidcam that you put up. I was very impressed with all the free training they have available on there web site. I wish mastercam has this.

FYI, all I needed was the first video professor video (free) that showed how to set up the origin and stock and that was it. The rest is pretty intuitive, their tech did help me with a shaped tool, that did have me stumped. Then their tech worked with me on the phone using go-to-meeting to tweak my post. We were on go-to-meeting and he walked me through it, we tested it. I am 100% satified.

MAKING PARTS WITHOUT TRAINING (JUST A SHORT VIDEO PROFESSOR TUTORIAL)!!!!!!!!!!!!