Poked in the eye again by Gerber

[Drip Dry]

In 2001 I bought my edge. It came with omega 1.5. Always has worked great. It was loaded on a xp machine by the rep. About 3 years ago, I loaded it on to a new xp machine. Worked well all these years.

Now, it's been giving more and more trouble finding the key. I think I've seen every error message related to key and then some.
Been through the sentinal configuration stuff. Even tried a different port. No good.

So I e-mail tech support. I know I don't have a contract but it seems this is a dongle problem, and it shouldn't keep me from using software that I leagally paid for to use.
Answer back is " sorry we don't support that version anymore and BTW it not supported in XP. (Poke) You must upgrade.

I then tell them if it's not supported, then why is it clearly stamped on my install disk that xp is a supported OS.
Answer back... sorry since service pack 2, it's not supported any more. You must upgrade. (poked again)

Now I know the new version are better ( or so I'm told by guess who) but I design everything in Flexi and use gerber just to assign colors and cut lines and print to the edge.
I really don't mind upgrading but I don't want to be forced by the mfg.


So, are there any suggestions what vendor I use to upgrade through. If they all charge the same as gerber, I rather make gerber pay a commission to someone instead of getting it all.

Ok rant is over... we now return you to your regular programming already in progress.


PS. Not the first time I was poked.
My contract expired, and within 2 weeks I had a problem for the first time with the edge.
No, I couldn't pay now and get it fixed. They wanted 1800.00 to send the guy out and fix anything that was wrong. (BIG POKE)


JT

I must upgrade

 

[Gino]

Well, I must say.... you just made my day.

I was poked more times than a pig at a 'Pig Roast'. My software is from 1995 and I got the same story and they just hide behind..... Nope, don't support it anymore. You must upgrade.

Well, now I see they are hiding behind this obsolete software after only six years now.... tha's far worse than my case.....

Thanks............. ​

 

[MobileImpact]

Ahh,

Welcome to the wonderful world of Gerber. Unless your CURRENTLY spending the $, they could care less about you. Never mind that you spent thousands a couple years ago. The business and support model at GSP has declined considerably the last few years. But that's a story for another time....

jtrube- why not just run from your flexi? it works, a few different steps to go through, but you can print/cut with it.

Kevin

 

[Letterbox Mike]

I think there was a similar thread over on Letterville recently started by Dave Draper... I think he had lost his dongle and if I remember Gerber was making him pay a few hundred for a new dongle but he also had to upgrade the software because the version he had was also out of date... was not a happy camper. I've been saying for years that Gerber is a scam, their stuff may be good, but it's not SO good that it justifies the abserdly outrageous prices that they charge for it.

 

[threeputt]

Jtrube, I sympathize. I started out with the G company in the eighties. Been with them all the way. Currently running Omega 2.1, but of course, it's also out of date.

The things they're betting on are these: 1. You won't want to learn a new software. 2. What will you do about all the .plt files you've archived over the years? How will they run on Flexi? 3. How will your G equipment run on anything but Omega?

I'll admit they're stuff is pretty darn good. But I must continually find workarounds because of the Roland printer. Have to use Corel just to assign a cut command that Roland stuff will interpret right. (there's no other way, I've tried.)

By the way, we're running two design stations with two licenses for Omega 2.1. So when we upgrade, we get the ol' double-dip.

 

[markyeoman]

:signs101:Summa has "Lifetime Toll Free Product Support"

 

[Jackpine]

It seems all the big player software companies do the same thing when there is an operating system change, windows 3.1 to XP , XP to Vista, sorry you have to $$$$ upgrade.

 

[Service Sign Co]

I like being able to open PDF's vector files with the Omega upgrade,seems like PDF is a file all different types of graphics co's are useing. Still haven't found the spell checker

 

[Drip Dry]

Ahh,


jtrube- why not just run from your flexi? it works, a few different steps to go through, but you can print/cut with it.

Kevin

I tried Flexi a few years back. I can't remember exactly but I think I was having problems with the cutter. I think it would get lost on multiple decal cuts.

I'll admit they're stuff is pretty darn good. But I must continually find workarounds because of the Roland printer. Have to use Corel just to assign a cut command that Roland stuff will interpret right. (there's no other way, I've tried.)

Funny, just today, after wasting time with the gerber, I had to print & cut from the Roland. It was a 3 color simple decal that couldn't butt 2 colors together... you know, the choke & spread that never worked. Somehow, I think it still dosn't.

JT

 

[Replicator]

I just bought an upgrade to 7.1v1 for $200.00 in September . . .

Normally a $400.00 upgrade . . . ON SALE !

By the way, upgrading is better than a poke in the eye with a blunt stick . . . !

 

[signage]

jtrube either get the upgrade or use your gerber dongle to get signlab. signlabs choke and spread work much better the gerbers.

 

[KR3signguy]

Gerber is a PITA!

 

[thomas barth]

Gerber Troubles

-My Gerber has been running great for years. The software upgrades have been a small percentage, of a percent, of what I've made using them. I wish others had the same experience. Hey Signguy, what's with the same "Gerber is a PITA!" reply every time? Do you hate all those Gerbers in your shop?

 

[jiarby]

Good thing you are not using a BIG software package... This kind of licensing/support is very common in the software industry, especially for proprietary apps like this.

Oracle, Catia, Solid Works, various CAM packages, AutoCAD all work the same way.

Where's the profit for them in you buying a 1995 version and continually trying to use it on 4 different machines over the last decade??

You have to look at the maintence/renewal costs of software licensing as well as the initial purchase!

 

[ScottyDoo]

By the way, we're running two design stations with two licenses for Omega 2.1. So when we upgrade, we get the ol' double-dip.

That's nothing man...we've got 14 stations here running Omega.

I knew a shop in your position that used a cracked copy of 2.01 for a long time which bypassed the dongle. They were pretty pissed at Gerber and were trying to stick it to them. They have since upgraded to the latest however and paid for their copies.

 

[Service Sign Co]

Yes it's something, I don't believe your average shop has 14 stations

 

[signguytom]

2. What will you do about all the .plt files you've archived over the years? How will they run on Flexi?

Flexi 8 will import Gerber files. Admittedly, I have not truly put this to the test, as the few G files I have are old and fairly simple. No EDGE info, just lines & curves. But they came into Flexi 8 perfectly.

Flexi will drive the EDGE as well. It is a bit more complicated than Omega (at least Flexi 7.x was). I think I heard somewhere that Flexi 8 is a bit more EDGE friendly. I no longer use Gerber equipment, so my expertise with it is a couple years out of date.

As far as the issue of the dongle shutting down the software, wow, I think that just really sucks. One should not be forced to upgrade expensive software because their security feature expires and cannot be replaced. Seems like it should be illegal. Just my 2¢...

 

[OldPaint]

when you buy gerber ....the 1st thing THEY SHOULD EVER PRINT OUT IS ..."GERBER GOTCHA!!!!"
you work for us now!!!!!!!

 

[Marlene]

I've been using Gerber software since the early 80's and don't see why there's all the suprise that they move the software forward, upgrade and add in new features, make it work better and fix problems from past releases. Most of the upgrades are free. In all the years that we've been running Gerber, there have only been a couple of paid up grades. The paid upgrades where for programs that were well worth the money. When you're running 1.5 and the rest of the world is running 2.6.1, you can't expect them to support that forever and try to figure out issues as they did with the release of 2.5. I have the paperwork that came with the 1.52 and it clearly states that it works on windows 95 & 98 as well as windows NT no where does it state that it will work on XP, at least on what I'm reading. I know that when I wanted to upgrade from 1.5 to 2.5, I needed to upgrade my computer as it was running windows 98.

No real big suprise that if you lose a dongle that they will make you pay for a new one. It's how they protect their software, it's a known part of their software when purchased. If a dongle gets lost for real or if some one just wants to run two version without buying the rights to that is something that you can't expect them to sort out.

As far as Gerber not caring about the people that buy and use their software, I'm not seeing that either. What I see is a company that is always working to make improvements in their product. I've dealt with Gerber and have not ever had any issues with any one from that company.

 

[signage]

I agree with Marlene, I have several computers with OS from windows 95 through Vista! then only OS's that are still supported are XP and Vista! This happens to all software and hardware in the computer industry! Also Gerber has been very supportive of there older hardware with the newer software, Think of the software engineering they go through with each OS system upgrade! Who pays for this, and who is going to keep track of the code changes for each upgrade? Let alone if some of the programmers leave/move on!