Does this forum still make sense?

BobCAD-CAM Software Discussions
#1

Hello All,

I have been on this forum since Feb 26, 2021. In this initial phase there has been really good conversation and exchange. The BC team was also strongly represented.
This also encouraged me to keep writing in the forum and to formulate wishes/improvements in the best possible way. This was often associated with some effort (see my stats below)

image
image971×140 4.74 KB

All come to an end about Aug/Sep 2022. Responses from BC-Team were close to zero and have remained so to this day.

For my part, I don’t know how and if the feature requests will get any further attention from BC. A number of things have been discussed by a number of people and declared to be in need of improvement. The sad result is that we are waiting for reaction, feedback and (best) implementation on a number of suggestions.
I think it is an extreme pity that BC does not use this potential more intensively. What is the use of new releases with additional features if common/basic problems drives us crazy over and over again?

So may I ask at this point: what’s next? To continue writing/discussing in this forum and hoping that BC will take care of the concerns is not an option for me.

Regards, Harald

#2

Hey Harold,

Alex, other techs, the dev team, the posting team and I have been on the forum since then. I am not sure where this is coming from. However, I would like to give you some perspective on why this Forum was created in the first place and what a forum is used for.

The BobCAD forum was created to foster a community and relationships from user to user. Forums are used to as a place where people with like minded interests or careers can have discussions about specific topics. Make a few friends along the way and have discussions about the software or even any other CNC related topics. It was never intended to be used as a support portal to help with issues with BobCAD-CAM. However, one strong benefit of a forum is that you get to talk with people that may have similar situations as you have and can help. In doing so, you can get help with a very specific issue while also making some connections with other users in the community.

If you ever need dedicated technical support or want to request a feature directly, please contact us through the proper channels:

Phone Number: (727) 489 - 0003
Email: support@bobcad.com
Website: bobcadsupport.com

As for the Feature Requests, all feature requests from the forum do get sent directly to the Development team for further evaluation and processing. There are many factors at play that determine which requests will get done first, if the request makes sense to the user base, or if there are other better alternatives that can enhance the software.

One thing I can ensure you though, is that each request is carefully reviewed and considered and improve the user experience for all customers and add enhancements that users can use to help with productivity.

The reason you noticed more activity directly from the BobCAD team at the beginning of the forums creation is because we wanted to jump start the forum and make sure people started to communicate with each other. However, still many users do not know that the forum exists, or have already gotten the help they needed directly through us or through our other many online resources. So, we try to make everyone as aware as we can of the forum, but it is not the main source of support and never was intended to be mainly used for support.

To put it simply, the forum was created to foster conversations between users and build relationships with people who have like minded interests and who use our software. The purpose is to build a community that can have conversations about anything software related and more. It was and is never intended to be your go to place to get technical support or submit requests.

In this discussion, you are talking about getting technical support and fixing the software, neither of which the forum is dedicated for. As I have said before, you need to go through the proper channels if that is what you are after.

Not only do we have a Tech Support team that can help, we also have many other 24/7 online resources always at your disposal, from the help system built directly into the software, to the Support site that has things like a Knowledge Base of Articles and Videos, our Youtube channels, etc…

I see that you are an highly active user of the forum. This is awesome! However, if you are after support, please use support related content. Yes, you still can post on the forum and see if others have the same issue, but also use other resources as well.

I will attach a PDF that has a list of Resource links as well as the contact info I provided above:
BobCAD-CAM Online Resources 2023.pdf (208.4 KB)

#3

Hello Paul,
OK, understood.

That actually makes it uninteresting, because many things that were discussed were also commented on by you in the beginning. Now we users are pretty much alone.
With regard to feature requests, there is no context or overview of what has already been reported, whether BC is working on it or whether the suggestion has thrown away. There are quite a few examples of suggestions from us users that have been taken up and passed on with your comments. If such feedback is lacking and everyone has to go via support, I don’t see the point of talking about improvements in the forum. Ultimately, it ends in frustration because there is the feeling of not being heard by those who can ultimately really change something: the BC team.
And again: you did it in the past, which is obviously not anymore :frowning: But I have to accept it the way it is.

Bye, Harald

2 Likes
#4

Hey Harald,

By no means is the user alone in any process of using the software from brand new and learning to 30 year veteran. It is simply a matter of using the proper resources based on what you need help with. For you specifically, you need to use the other resources more instead of only using the forum. The reply back time when using the forum is probably the slowest as it is not our main portal. Instead it is meant more for user to user interaction.

As I have said before, all Requests get sent and processed by the Dev team from this forum. These requests are contained inside a database that the Dev team uses to process each request, rank them and implement them.

I can assure you that all the requests are indeed heard regardless of how it may look to you. Our users are the foundation we use to build the software and we take that very seriously. We have a meeting between tech support, posting dept and the dev team every day and specifically discuss user pain points. That is just one example of what we do. In fact, it is the most important factor we consider when deciding on what to implement. User Experience, Software Functionality and New Enhancements / Innovations all or 95% come directly from the users. I understand you may only see it from a singular perspective and especially if you are limited to only using the Forum.

This is why I am taking the time right now to try to explain it the best way I can. I hope this helps give you a better perspective on the overall processes BobCAD has in place. You or any user is in no way alone in the process at all. You can find the info you are looking for by taking full advantages of all the resources we offer whether 24/7 online or in person live.

Please again utilize the proper channels for a better experience on your end:
Phone Number: (727) 489 - 0003
Email: support@bobcad.com
Website: bobcadsupport.com
PDF resource links provided above.

#5

Hi Paul,

This is the missing piece! Yes, I know you are using a database. I talked with Alex months/years ago about it. Your statement again confirms my thought. If 95% of the input comes from the users, why not provide them with a (at least read-only) interface to have a better insight into what is on the agenda?
As it is a database (relational I think with a lot of entities and attributes) it is very easy to build a separate view for us users. This view would not harm the database and BC can simple control (e.g. where status in (5, 7, 8) then allow the request in for user view), which kind of information you would deliver to us.

hmm… I see it primarily through the eyes of the customer and the experience of how quickly misunderstood handling destroys the acceptance of software. And if software crashes the machine due to a misinterpretation or a change of parameters, the best “you should have done it this way” is of no use.
I have been in software development and project management long enough and am very aware of what changes/improvements can trigger. But direct involving the customer (and I not mean the decision-makers, but those who work with it) was always best to get a wide acceptance.

BTW: how many times have same points been discussed or requested by different people just because they didn’t know that the topic was already in discussion (=your database)?

Regards, Harald

2 Likes
#6

Hello Harold,

I apologize for the decrease in activity on the forum. Resources have been stretched thin and our engagement has declined. The topic has been discussed internally and we recognise the importance of the forum not only to the users but to BCC as well. We will do a better job moving forward with company participation in responses and sharing information.

1 Like
#7

Thanks Alex that’s a answer what we would like to hear, hopefully after this we will see some positive changes.

1 Like
#8

I already see them :slight_smile:
Thx, Alex and the rest of the Team.

1 Like