Forum user requirements?

[Philcott]

Hi,

 

There have been a few postings recently that seem to be from guys not using legal copies of m-cam. I was under the impression members of this forum had to be users of legal and registered copies of Mastercam. If this is true, what screening is done to prevent the others having access here? The members of this forum, and the information they freely share, are one of Mastercam's greatest assets and I would be disapointed if pirateers were able to benefit from the generosity of the collective.

 

Phil

 

Islander Reels

www.islander.com

www.jsfoster.com

 

[ 07-16-2002, 11:12 AM: Message edited by: PhilCott ]

[n_tydingco]

Good point Philcott. Perhaps the Hasp # can be used to help verify that the user is legitimate

 

But there may be other users out there who may have be out of work and continue to look at the board to keep him/herself abreast of new updates, ideas, and other conversations (i.e. job leads)

 

Norbert

[Webby]

In order to keep the Forum as a free service, we can't afford the overhead of reviewing each membership application. When we have reason to believe a member is not a licensed user, we act swiftly to request their SIM, run it past CNC Software, and ban their email and IP address from the forum for life if we find that they are an illegal user. Usually the snitch tips come in from other members. Forum narcs!

 

We could include the SIM number as required info during registrationr, but I believe CNC Software was not entirely sure this was a good idea. Someone from CNC could confirm this.

 

My person view is that licensed users would tend to bear the brunt of any actions we would take to crack down on illegal users. How many first time posters were helped quickly out of a jam the very day of their posting? What if the registration process took 2 weeks?

 

[ 07-16-2002, 03:12 PM: Message edited by: Webmaster ]

[Philcott]

n_t

 

Good point about users in good standing wanting to keep abreast of happenings in Mcam.

 

Web

 

"How many first time posters were helped quickly out of a jam the very day of their posting?"

 

Amen to that

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

There's just certain things that tip legit MC users to a pirate. Certain lines of questioning that are easily and readily dealt with by a person's local MC Reseller get brought up and these spike up the pirate radar.

 

I think just like in Professional Athletics, we could do "random" drug, errrr, SIM testing . Perhaps a couple per month. This would be a fair deterrent. My problem would be which SIM# do I give? My personal one or my Work SIM?

[Michael Reynolds]

Hey now, what about students who are using the demo version to LEARN mastercam? Certainly, we cannot and SHOULD not exclude them from this forum.

 

Thoughts?

 

Mike R.

[cadcam]

quote:

---

Hey now, what about students who are using the demo version to LEARN mastercam? Certainly, we cannot and SHOULD not exclude them from this forum.

---

I agree mike. I tell all my students to come here and read.

I told them to tell them they are a student during the Reg .

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

With all the opportunities now for affordable solutions for learning Mastercam (Demo or Mastercam Apprenticeship Program), there really is no reason to bootleg.

 

Of course we should continute to instruct students. I've been teaching long enough now to be able to usually (not always though) tell when someone is doing more than learning with the software.

 

JM2C

[TheePres]

quote:

---

But there may be other users out there who may have be out of work and continue to look at the board to keep him/herself abreast of new updates, ideas, and other conversations (i.e. job leads)

---

Please consider us in making determination of who is allowed in these posts.

[Scott Bond]

Hi Team

This is what I posted when I received my layoff notice.I posted from my home with honor until I was able to got my new seat. Forum members helped me thru the drought,

with side work,

with job leads,

and untimately a new job

Thank you all for your help ((Scott))

Scott Bond

Member

Member # 857

 

posted 04-01-2002 06:35 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is my last hour.

Jay === email my house with some way I can use the forum. I will not have a sim # until I get a new job.

So fellow forum brothers so long

 

--------------------

Hardway

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posts: 441 | From: Ontario ,Ca | Registered: Jul 2001 | IP: Logged

 

[ 07-17-2002, 02:06 PM: Message edited by: Scott Bond ]

[Philcott]

Scott,

 

I remember when you made your post about being laid off and thinking how wrong it was for an active member to be unable to join in in the forum just because their job was gone. I know if I lost my job I would like to be able to continue participating.

 

I guess the way the registration works is serving it's purpose in that the questions themself sort out the pirates.

 

Phil

[Will Slota]

I have not posted in a while cause I too was laid off but with the help of my local reseller I've been able to find contract work to keep me busy till something permanent comes along. On the topic of piracy it really turns my spindle!!! I once had a little mom and pop shop of my own and watched myself get underbid by unehical competitors left and right. I'd think in these times that a valuable service for re-sellers to provide would be to up unsolicited sales calls at none customer shops and go on a pirate hunt. Last spring you couldn't turn on the radio without hearing an ad for the BSA but now nothing. I personally would sing a hearty "Serves you right!!" to hear of more pirates getting busted, computers seized, heavy fines, and shut down. Software piracy is THEFT of intellectual property!! Also people who have a grip about the way cnc software handles their upgrade costs can go whine to someone else. That revenue goes towards R&D to develop an even better software package that makes YOUR job easier, more efficient, and more profitable there by giving you more free time outside of work, possibly better pay, and greater job satisfaction. Sorry to rant, just my 3.14159 cents

 

Will Slota

[gcode]

I have absolutely no complaints about how MC

handles upgrade charges. I thinks it completly fair and resonable.

If you want to whine about upgrade costs, buy a copy of SolidWorks. They charge you 15% of retail per year. If you don't renew every year,

they charge you 15% plus a $350 penalty when you do want to renew.

On the subject of piracy...

It is so cheap and easy to get a bootleg copy of

MC that I've had people laugh in my face and call me a damn fool for buying legal copy.

In the latest upgrade cycle the pirates had V9 available for download before legal owners got their copy . Very discouraging

[David S]

quote:

---

The members of this forum, and the information they freely share, are one of Mastercam's greatest assets and I would be disapointed if pirateers were able to benefit from the generosity of the collective.

---

I am a legal user of MasterCam and a member of this forum. I am not "MasterCam's greatest asset". My ideas and opions on this forum are not copyrighted by MasterCam. I do not mind to share them with "all" members of this forum.

 

Who are those "illegal users"? They are not "pirateers"(Real pirateers don't even speak English). They are not Bill Gate or Donald Trump. They are poor students (Do not tell me Harvard teaches MasterCam), layoffed employees or very small shop owners who thought demo never give them the result of the MasteCam (they are testing water cheap way).

 

Thank God that MasterCam did not hire me as a COPYRIGHT LAW ENFORCEMENT COP. 1. I do not know how to find those "seem to be" illegal users. 2. I will not get fat by catch those POOR "illegal users".

 

One of my college room-mate learnt MasterCam from an illegal copy. He is one of the top MasterCam instructors, who are helpping people in this forum (I see his name all the time here). I know two small shop owners they used an illgal copy on their first PORTO-TRACK CNC ten years ago. They are "LEGAL" Multi-seats MasterCam owners now. Tell me, how did Mcrosoft and Autocad get so big? I am sure it is not by catching "illegal users".

 

If I am right, this forum is for learning, guiding, sharing and loving not policing for MasterCam. Please do not "screen" my students, my friends, my techers who love learning, teaching and sharing. They will not "disapoint" you.

 

Trust me, real "pirateers" never look at this forum. Thay are too busy counting the money they made from selling illegal copys.

 

P.S. Making, selling and using illegal copy is wrong! MasterCam should go after those "pirateers".

[Guest]

i'm looking for another job right now. and every shop i interviewed with had a bootleg copy of mastercam, or some other software (bootleg). and they are making big $$$$$$$$$$ with this software. it's crazy. if mastercam gave me $5.00 for every shop that i know that use bootleg mastercam. I WOULD BE RICH. i wouldn't have to look another job. sad but true.

[Scott Bond]

We must honor those men for digging the Mastercam well for us,you know we all drink from everyday, and honor those men that continue to dig,So that there will be enough for all of us.

 

A student is a student

A Mastercam programer is a profesional

A pirate is a pirate. (where the hat)

 

I will call a pirate a pirate, If this bothers any of them(it will not be about me) it will be because A man feels like CRAP when he is out of honor. I will continue to encourage fellow users to become registered. Because I do not want to belong to a team that half the men are allowed to feel like crap.

This is just my humble opinion, and it should be yours.

 

[ 07-18-2002, 12:47 PM: Message edited by: Scott Bond ]

[David S]

I think this forum is doing geat job! It is EVERY MC users' family. It is a very nice bridge between MasterCam and its Users ("legal" and "illegal"). I love it! Do not change. Thank you!