What would YOU do with the money?

[CanuckSigns]

If your internet connection goes down, even for several days, you will still be able to run Flexi. Here's how it works: When the credit card is charged, it sends a notice to Flexi to extend the license. You then have 1 month before Flexi talks to the payment processor to see if it should extend the license. We also have a built-in grace period between payments for anything that should go awry. You could go weeks without an internet connection and still be able to run Flexi. Additionally, our customer support staff proactively calls customers who are experiencing issues to make sure business production keeps running smoothly.



If any company operated like that, it wouldn't be long before they were out of business. We have already made several product and feature improvements over the last 6 or so months of the subscription product's life, and will continue to do so as long as we want to remain in business.



If you have already installed an update over your existing software, then there is no way to revert back. However, technical support calls are free for subscription and current versions, and we can respond with a patch quite nimbly. Typically, in addition to our beta testing, we do a slow roll out to users to minimize risk of major issues.

However, you have the option to download and install a full installation of each version while keeping your previous version in tact. This can be a little cumbersome but the option is there.



Wouldn't that be great to get a new TV a few times per year, with the latest and greatest features?

What happens if I decide after a year that I don't like flexi and want to switch to another program, is there a way for me to open my files I made in flexi and save them in another format, or does the program lock you out when you cancel? In other words I design a sign for bobs car wash in flexi, a year later I cancel my subscription, bob calls and wants another sign exactly the same as the old one, can I somehow open the flexi file and save it as an .eps or something without a subscription?

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Paid in full is the only way to go, yes indeed ya maybe watching TV & reading a book for a time BUT NO STRESS when payment is due PRICELESS

Business school teaches ya payments, life teaches ya pay in full

 

[player]

I wish Flexi would stop ramming this subscription crap down our throats on this forum.

 

[Steph_Stamm]

What happens if I decide after a year that I don't like flexi and want to switch to another program, is there a way for me to open my files I made in flexi and save them in another format, or does the program lock you out when you cancel? In other words I design a sign for bobs car wash in flexi, a year later I cancel my subscription, bob calls and wants another sign exactly the same as the old one, can I somehow open the flexi file and save it as an .eps or something without a subscription?

Without an active subscription you wouldn't be able to access the files again (unless of course you got a traditional license version, which are still available for Flexi). You could export files to a generic format - eps, pdf, dxf - before switching though.

 

[reQ]

Without an active subscription you wouldn't be able to access the files again (unless of course you got a traditional license version, which are still available for Flexi). Y\

THIS. So if you did not export your files - you are screwed and have to pay again to get access to your files, really? I would guess that 80% of business owners here would prefer full paid copy and not only for that reason.

My 2cents

 

[player]

I will not even consider Flexi for anything now. I am buying the full Signlab outright for $750.

Done and done.

 

[GAC05]

I wish Flexi would stop ramming this subscription crap down our throats on this forum.

I don't see any ramming here - they are offering it as an option.
If you don't like broccoli you don't have to order it.
Now how effective their cloud campaign is going is another matter.....

wayne k
guam usa

 

[Mike Paul]

.

Regarding the Cloud based software lic,

How would I access and run the software in the cloud if Scanvec/Amiable/Flexi went bankrupt
and closed up?

Thinking Enron?...

I have 25+ years of digital files in Flexi format. Mostly FS files and many converted to FS files.
I prefer my installation disk.


.

 

[James Burke]

.

Regarding the Cloud based software lic,

How would I access and run the software in the cloud if Scanvec/Amiable/Flexi went bankrupt
and closed up?

Thinking Enron?...

I have 25+ years of digital files in Flexi format. Mostly FS files and many converted to FS files.
I prefer my installation disk.


.

Good question.

I don't know about current versions of SignLab, but I think I remember v. 7 as being forward compatible with v.8. I had helped a friend load v.7 on his computer and I'm pretty sure I was testing it with stuff I had made in v.8.

I'll have a colleague send me something made in 9.1 and I'll see if I can open it in 8. Does anybody know for sure?

JB

 

[SignosaurusRex]

.

Regarding the Cloud based software lic,

How would I access and run the software in the cloud if Scanvec/Amiable/Flexi went bankrupt
and closed up?

Thinking Enron?...

I have 25+ years of digital files in Flexi format. Mostly FS files and many converted to FS files.
I prefer my installation disk.


.

 

[James Burke]

Good question.

I don't know about current versions of SignLab, but I think I remember v. 7 as being forward compatible with v.8. I had helped a friend load v.7 on his computer and I'm pretty sure I was testing it with stuff I had made in v.8.

I'll have a colleague send me something made in 9.1 and I'll see if I can open it in 8. Does anybody know for sure?

JB

I just tried opening a v9.1 SignLab file in SL v.8 and it worked...so long as you have the correct fonts (but that's a given anyway).

A notice comes up stating that the file was created in newer software and that it might not load correctly, but so far it's done a perfect job.


JB

 

[VIP]

Misleading marketing stun. Stay classy, SAi.

 

[Suz]

This post makes me want to puke. It's like Russian propaganda.

Let mother Flexi enslave you forever, and if you dare stop paying we turn off all your years of hard work / art files.

I've gotta agree with Player here. Propaganda!

Oh, and my comment on the Bob and Bill comic:

Notice: Depiction of Bob is that he is old and gray looking, broke because he paid for his software outright, has nothing to do but watch an old outdated television. LOL! I think quite the opposite! Bob is probably able to buy season passes to attend his favorite Team's ballgames in person, and is able to bring his family with him too!

Bill is young and has a bag of money, because he only paid monthly. This is super funny! What it's not showing is all the time poor Bill has to spend staring into his computer monitor when his monthly subscription doesn't doesn't pay off due to internet connections, or like others mentioned, the possibility of his software company going out of business. Let's not mention all the time he also spends begging his friends who purchased their software outright, to help him with his files. I think Bill is going to get old like Bob some day and he's just going to die with a bunch of BILLS!!! Then his family will have a really big BILL when they have to bury BILL, right on top of his pile of BILLS! He spent a lot of money on Flexi or some other subscriptions over the years that he could have saved for his own burial or cremation services. BILL is not only dumb, he is wasteful.

 

[John L]

I like Flexi products and I even like the work that went into your cartoon. But this is the worst idea ever... Change direction before the capsize.

 

[Rocco G]

The only way that a subscription works is if you are the type who wants to upgrade their software every time an update came out. I know a few people (mostly large corporate level) that think that way. All they see if "hmm, we buy it outright and it's XXXX dollars, but a subscription is only XXX annually. Fine, if you have that kind of budget then maybe (MAYBE) a subscription works for you.

Me, I bought Signlab back when a Gerber 4B was a state of the art plotter (which unit still runs, although slowly compared to my other plotter). Now, I cut hardly any vinyl compared to most sign shops (mainly installation work) but I've had Signlab since Window 3.1/DOS and not paid a cent since. Vinyl software doesn't need to be upgraded all that often.

Not only that, I don't have to upgrade the hardware every couple of years either. I'd bet cold hard cash that with the Flexi subscription you need "current" hardware, or at least not something more than a couple years old. So much for that big TV. Besides, sign people don't watch TV because we spend too much time online debating this sort of stuff.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

The only way that a subscription works is if you are the type who wants to upgrade their software every time an update came out. I know a few people (mostly large corporate level) that think that way. All they see if "hmm, we buy it outright and it's XXXX dollars, but a subscription is only XXX annually. Fine, if you have that kind of budget then maybe (MAYBE) a subscription works for you.

Ironically maybe not even then. It just depends on what you need to have. When Adobe was still doing perpetual license and subscription I did a C/B on it. Now, I truly only need Design Standard for my business work flow using Adobe products. I use more, but not for work. I did the C/B using Design Premium. If you bought CS6 full price, upgraded every iteration, which it seemed to be every year towards the end, especially with that 5.5 nonsense, in 7 yrs you would be losing money on the subscription service and that is still buying every new iteration that comes out after that 7 yr time period.

I would imagine that most here (at least 51%) don't need more then Design Standard, certainly not more then Design Premium. I'm sure that there are a few that truly need it, but I would say most do not. Now rather or not, you want the entire suite, that's something else entirely and that brings about a different C/B analysis.

 

[graphicwarning]

Maybe I am the only one who finds it amusing that Flexi was built upon perpetual licensing, AND it's still offered today... yet we are led to believe it's a flawed model and there is no value to own your software.

If the subscription is the best, most economical way to use software... why still sell perpetual licenses? Are you selling a product you don't believe in?

 

[visual800]

I've gotta agree with Player here. Propaganda!



Notice: Depiction of Bob is that he is old and gray looking, broke because he paid for his software outright, has nothing to do but watch an old outdated television. LOL! I think quite the opposite! Bob is probably able to buy season passes to attend his favorite Team's ballgames in person, and is able to bring his family with him too!

Yeah they got that whole scenario backwards, Another stupid way of thinking, backwards and upside down.

I dont like relying on others for my software and that is exactly whats happeneing here

 

[ddarlak]

It was actually drawn by hand by one of our employees who happens to be a cartoonist. He's quite talented!

This cartoon has to be one of the most amateurish stunts I have ever seen.

I guess it makes sense if you believe this joker has talent that you would also believe this was a good idea posting this garbage....

Flexi 10 will be the last time you ever get any money from me again.

 

[TyrantDesigner]

I like flexi products ... but for the love of all that is unholy ... why! I used flexi 7 far into aged death until I upgraded my system and had to pass that 8.6 barrier ... and I gladly spent the 4 digits for it since it saved me much more in the long run .. 3 years later and I still have that software ... and no bill ... why the frack would I want to go monthly if after 3 years I'm still forking out $50-60 a month and can lose access to my files at any time ... No thank you. Having proprietary file formats limits your ability to do work in the future if you lose that software.


My files are more valuable than saving a couple bucks to start if it's bleeding me every month.

I swear, between Adobe and flexi in a multi user shop ... you could go bankrupt.

Looks like I won't be upgrading flexi in the future.

And people starting out don't understand why I tell them to ONLY buy the starter version of flexi ($150?) and get corel draw to do their design work in ($400?).

And no one sends out flexi files to another shop .. it's always ai or eps ... so it's not like adobe products where Illustrator CC files loaded into CS6 is like shoving an iron rod in your rear end to cap your teeth ... because lord knows they made such wild improvements that the file format is almost incompatible with the version under it. </sarcasm>

 

[TyrantDesigner]

Without an active subscription you wouldn't be able to access the files again (unless of course you got a traditional license version, which are still available for Flexi). You could export files to a generic format - eps, pdf, dxf - before switching though.

Flexi doesn't have an automated batch processing to allow for exporting of a huge amount of files. What you're basically saying with this is, "sorry, spend about 3 weeks going through hundreds and hundreds of files exporting out ones you MIGHT use in the future because our proprietary file format isn't usable by anything other than our software ... sucks to be you."

That is ... assuming you have more to do than spend time exporting files like running a business.