Ideas for 'Pro' version

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PacManFan
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Ideas for 'Pro' version

Postby PacManFan » Mon Sep 08, 2014 12:22 pm

Hey everyone,
I'd like to get your input on an idea that I've been kicking around for a while. As some of you know, CW supports 'plugins'. These plugins can do many things. I sell customized plugins to commercial vendors of machine to customize CW (splash screen, icons, re-arranging controls, removing controls, adding buttons, theming,etc.. ). I've actually gotten pretty good at it, but I've noticed that every time I write a plugin, about 90% of the code is the same as every other plugin, with a few changes to the GUI configuration.

I would like to write a 'Pro' plug-in for Creation Workshop.
This 'Pro' version will give users the ability to:
-Create custom skins/themes
-Change Splash screen
-Remove portions of the GUI / Re-arrange controls
-Add a new GUI to help skin/theme the app and write scripts / sequences.
-Add a new scripting system
This new scripting system allows for several things. It will allow you to define GCode sequences (or binary sequences) and send them to the serial port. It will also allow parsing of any return values from the gcode (temperature, position, etc...). These parsed values can then be placed into program variables ($VARNAME) that can later be used. This is a logical extension of the GCode pre-processing that currently occurs when slicing. The new scripting system also allows the user to define buttons that appear on the toolbar. When the button is clicked, it can run a script, or send sequences to the machine. This will allow for several things. As an example, I just used this feature to add a new 'Setup For Build' button for a client. When pressed, this button: turns on the projector, homes the Wiper, homes the Z axis, moves the Z axis to a pre-recorded build position, and levels the resin (top down machine). I would also like to provide several program 'Events' that can be scripted. Some events might include:
- Machine connected /disconnected
- Slicing started / completed
- Build started / paused / stopped


Any number of complex script-able sequences can be performed and tied directly to user-defined buttons on the GUI. Often I receive a lot of emails of people asking to customize the GUI for their machines in a very specific way. I think a system like this will allow the user to make any number of modifications to their system to customize and tailor the appearance and behavior for their specific hardware and needs.

I would like to sell this 'Pro' version of a plugin both at a low one-time price for the home hobbyist, and as a yearly-price for the commercial vendor of machines.
I'd like to hear back from you all regarding:
- Features you'd like to see in the Pro version
- One-time price for the home hobbyist (non commercial)
- Yearly price for the commercial vendor/re-distributor

Thanks!
-Steve

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Re: Ideas for 'Pro' version

Postby adambx » Mon Sep 08, 2014 2:22 pm

As far as I understand a commercial user is someone who bundles the SW itself with his machine which he distributes.
If i'm printing at home and selling the prints, am I a commercial user or a home user?

From my current point of view I would pay 50 bucks for a pro version since i'm not making money off of my models(yet?). Right now i'm customizing the program myself as far as new functions (small stuff) go.

Cheers!

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Re: Ideas for 'Pro' version

Postby PacManFan » Mon Sep 08, 2014 2:32 pm


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Re: Ideas for 'Pro' version

Postby Wabbe » Mon Sep 08, 2014 11:07 pm

This is great! I would definitely be interested in this...

Bill

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Re: Ideas for 'Pro' version

Postby SIDRANA » Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:28 am

Greetings;

I do welcome your approach Dear Steve, and indeed I want to support your priceless efforts; Will you please-post your paypal account email; Thanking you for this wonderful forum.

Sincere Regards

Saeed

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Re: Ideas for 'Pro' version

Postby danielm » Tue Sep 09, 2014 10:58 am

PacManFan, how much do you expect it may cost?
Are any future updates of the plugin included in the price?
Will it work together with Lasershark plugin?

My opinion is that you definitely deserve a reward for your effort :)

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Re: Ideas for 'Pro' version

Postby PacManFan » Tue Sep 09, 2014 11:43 am


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Re: Ideas for 'Pro' version

Postby firecardenal » Fri Sep 12, 2014 1:36 pm

Super!!!!!!!!

I added to the interest list

Thanks

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Re: Ideas for 'Pro' version

Postby James » Fri Jun 05, 2015 11:04 am

It's a good idea because it would definitely save you a lot of work and commercial users could tweak until satisfied without bothering you. If I were pricing it though I would charge commercial users by the machine sold. You could keep track via an online registration method. The thinking behind this is, well, lets say someone comes up with something amazing and is going to use you software to implement it and they sell ten thousand machines the first year. Would you rather have that yearly sum or a piece of each machine being sold? You could still charge a yearly fee too for maintenance and upgrades too.

I wouldn't offer the software for free for home use either. You're not Autodesk, yet. :D Charge something like $50 to $100 for it. Or at the very least have a home use version that has limited functionality so people will want to upgrade later on down the road. Recall how Artsoft did his Mach series of CNC machine controllers. It was free for something like 1,500 lines of gcode instructions, which let one do all kinds of things with it, but if one wanted to get serious and do a detailed part you had to buy the full version to have unlimited capability with it.

Another thing I'd do is talk to a patent attorney and see if there is anything that you can patent within the functions of your software.

As for open source, nah, open source I feel is more for big things like web browsers and word processors and companies so big they are like God. :D
I prefer to know nothing about everything rather than everything about nothing. :)

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Re: Ideas for 'Pro' version

Postby SIDRANA » Fri Jun 05, 2015 9:33 pm

Hello James

Thanks; Thumbs-up, for your post;

Regards

Saeed


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