Poorly N sick Fadal 15 VMC Will live again!

[Chaz]

So what did it cost? ;p

That said, Keen to see a new controller and how it performs. Cant wait ....

This JazzCNC - see the ;p - it means tongue in cheek.

[JAZZCNC]

This JazzCNC - see the ;p - it means tongue in cheek.

Not to me it doesn't but better still don't bother next time hey.!

[ivan-mycnc]

Haven't heard about these controllers before, some competition to watch out for I guess!

Let us know how it performs.

[JAZZCNC]

Haven't heard about these controllers before, some competition to watch out for I guess!

Let us know how it performs.

Hi Ivan,

To be honest it was a very close thing between your controller and this. I really liked what your controller offered regards it's hardware and what it would allow me to do with the machine. But if I'm being honest the thing that swayed my choice was the main GUI, I really didn't get on with it in simulation mode.

I found the screen confusing and cluttered with buttons and info I didn't need to see on the main working screen. Likewise things I would like to see where missing or not very obvious. It's not intuitive at all and this really lets it down for me.

I'm used to jumping from software to software using different Control software and hardware all the time and I know the fact that I struggled to gets to grip with it then new users will have a very hard time because it's just not intuitive enough with cluttered screen.

To give an example a forum member and new user to CNC recently posted asking questions about tool changing in Planet CNC controller. Now I've never used this software before but straight away within 2mins, the main screen made sense because it displayed everything I needed and was uncluttered with nice big displays for toolpath and G-code that could be dragged about and sized easily.
All the buttons for often-used functions or custom scripts etc are nicely layout around the edges and all buttons display a short description of what it does when the mouse is held over it. These little things make a big difference to user's experience, esp those who are not using their machines on a daily basis or even weekly basis like many weekend machinists do, so they don't retain what all the buttons, etc do and would spend lot of wasted time refiguring out how to operate your software.

I'm dealing with new users week in week out and I know your software GUI would cause me lots of wasted time answering questions about it because it's just not intuitive enough.

Now please don't take this the wrong way because I'm not pulling down your product and I think the hardware looks very very capable and I am going to try it very soon on my routers, I'm just very busy at the moment so couldn't do it justice.

I hope you take this in the manner it's meant which is feedback, I'm sorry it's negative feedback but hopefully, you can use this and turn it into a positive and improve your GUI because no matter how good the Hardware if the software lets it down then it just doesn't work for me and I know wouldn't for many other users, esp those new to CNC.

Edit: I'm happy to help with feedback or testing regards user experience and I have a lot of experience with dealing with new users so I've got a good insight into what they struggle with. So just ask if this helps.

[ivan-mycnc]

Hi Ivan,

To be honest it was a very close thing between your controller and this. I really liked what your controller offered regards it's hardware and what it would allow me to do with the machine. But if I'm being honest the thing that swayed my choice was the main GUI, I really didn't get on with it in simulation mode.

I found the screen confusing and cluttered with buttons and info I didn't need to see on the main working screen. Likewise things I would like to see where missing or not very obvious. It's not intuitive at all and this really lets it down for me.

I'm used to jumping from software to software using different Control software and hardware all the time and I know the fact that I struggled to gets to grip with it then new users will have a very hard time because it's just not intuitive enough with cluttered screen.

To give an example a forum member and new user to CNC recently posted asking questions about tool changing in Planet CNC controller. Now I've never used this software before but straight away within 2mins, the main screen made sense because it displayed everything I needed and was uncluttered with nice big displays for toolpath and G-code that could be dragged about and sized easily.
All the buttons for often-used functions or custom scripts etc are nicely layout around the edges and all buttons display a short description of what it does when the mouse is held over it. These little things make a big difference to user's experience, esp those who are not using their machines on a daily basis or even weekly basis like many weekend machinists do, so they don't retain what all the buttons, etc do and would spend lot of wasted time refiguring out how to operate your software.

I'm dealing with new users week in week out and I know your software GUI would cause me lots of wasted time answering questions about it because it's just not intuitive enough.

Now please don't take this the wrong way because I'm not pulling down your product and I think the hardware looks very very capable and I am going to try it very soon on my routers, I'm just very busy at the moment so couldn't do it justice.

I hope you take this in the manner it's meant which is feedback, I'm sorry it's negative feedback but hopefully, you can use this and turn it into a positive and improve your GUI because no matter how good the Hardware if the software lets it down then it just doesn't work for me and I know wouldn't for many other users, esp those new to CNC.

Edit: I'm happy to help with feedback or testing regards user experience and I have a lot of experience with dealing with new users so I've got a good insight into what they struggle with. So just ask if this helps.

Hey Jazz, thanks for the reply!

Right off the bat, I just wanted to say that any feedback (especially when it's as reasonable as yours) is always better than no feedback at all, so thank you for taking the time to write out your thoughts. Regarding how intuitive the software is - I absolutely agree with you that a lot of machinists simply do not have the time to re-learn what all the buttons and knobs do, and when the screen is cluttered, that problem gets worse. Tooltips are a must - that's why we are just finishing up adding them to all of our profiles for all of our on-screen elements. We will be releasing updated application profiles as soon as testing is finished, but as of this week all the major parts of that system are in place and ready to go.

As for complexity of the GUI in general, it's pretty much a split right down the middle for our customers, with those wanting as little non-crucial info and buttons on the main screen as possible (some going as far as to remove the 2D/3D toolpath visualizations entirely), and those who want all the information and all the buttons, all the time. What we are learning more and more is that it's near impossible to satisfy both camps, so we are considering adding a simplified interface that retains only the most important software functions, and hides away all the information that is not 100% necessary.

The good thing is that myCNC is extremely customizable, that means it doesn't take us much time to create custom profiles, or to design a slimmed-down version of the software (and the same can be done by our users, should they want to do some screen editing). We'd love for you to take a look at our updated interface when it's ready, so we'll keep in touch and will hopefully have something for you soon.

Let me know if you end up testing myCNC on your routers!

[JAZZCNC]

Right off the bat, I just wanted to say that any feedback (especially when it's as reasonable as yours) is always better than no feedback at all, so thank you for taking the time to write out your thoughts.

Great that you see it this way, it's always a good sign when a person or company embraces negative feedback rather than taking offense.

so we are considering adding a simplified interface that retains only the most important software functions, and hides away all the information that is not 100% necessary.

I think this would be a better approach, maybe do it in such a way that standard functions or groups of related functions can simply and easily be turned on/off as needed and dragged around the main screen rather than needing to edit screens, etc. Similar to how CAM and CAD software, etc does it. This would make it easy to simply customize the screen with standard or often-used functions that suit the type of machine your using.

For those that want to have Custom layouts or functions etc then they can edit screens as you say.

Anyway, hope my feedback and suggestions help.

[Chaz]

Wow. I had hoped the fact that we know a bit about each other have been on this forum together for a number of years would count for something, clearly not. Looks like you are having a bad day.

Get off your high horse. I told you its a joke, don't believe me, go fly.

Its odd how abrasive everyone finds you. It must be all of us, clearly.

I've worked with some brilliant people in my time - both in my teams and teams working for others, some of them are really good at what they do and they having amazing abilities however people cant work with them as they are toxic and abrasive and in the end, no use to man or beast.

[JAZZCNC]

Get off your high horse. I told you its a joke, don't believe me, go fly.

Never said anything about not believing you, said it didn't come across as funny to me.

Its odd how abrasive everyone finds you. It must be all of us, clearly.

I've worked with some brilliant people in my time - both in my teams and teams working for others, some of them are really good at what they do and they having amazing abilities however people cant work with them as they are toxic and abrasive and in the end, no use to man or beast.

Who's showing their true colours now then.? . . .Not anywhere did I get insulting towards you or anyone else but yet you feel the need to attack and insult me personally just because I showed a dislike to you asking something I explicitly asked not to be asked.!

However, if you truly now how everyone feels towards me then I can remedy that in one go.

[Chaz]

Never said anything about not believing you, said it didn't come across as funny to me.



Who's showing their true colours now then.? . . .Not anywhere did I get insulting towards you or anyone else but yet you feel the need to attack and insult me personally just because I showed a dislike to you asking something I explicitly asked not to be asked.!

However, if you truly now how everyone feels towards me then I can remedy that in one go.

Go look at your posts, go look at all the 'fights' on this forum. I've been a long time supporter of yours, I appreciate the value you bring but it comes at a cost. That cost is abrasiveness and harshness, even when its not needed.

I told you that it was a tongue in cheek comment, your response is to rubbish what I said. Suppose like others I'm just tired of needing to pussyfoot around your demeanour.

[JAZZCNC]

Go look at your posts, go look at all the 'fights' on this forum. I've been a long time supporter of yours, I appreciate the value you bring but it comes at a cost. That cost is abrasiveness and harshness, even when it's not needed.

Some times there is no other way than to be harsh to cut thru the crap that's being spouted and if you or anyone else doesn't like it then it's tuff shit because I'm not changing or ignoring false or wrong information just because some snow flake doesn't like my writing tone. If it's wrong I'm saying so whether they like it or not.!

I told you that it was a tongue in cheek comment, your response is to rubbish what I said. Suppose like others I'm just tired of needing to pussyfoot around your demeanor.

I didn't rubbish anything, I said I didn't see the funny side and please not to bother in the future.

You seem to know what everyone thinks and it appears I've out stayed my welcome. Bye