Millbox and Cim Systems issues!!!

The Veneer Guy

The Veneer Guy

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So I gotta vent here guys and girls! Here's the issue:
In 2016 I bought a roland mill from CAP and got a Sum3D Dongle. in 2018 I upgraded that dongle to Millbox for $1000. Sweet deal, good software for the money. in march I closed my shop and had to move out and put everything into storage and I lost the dongle in the process. I call Zahn (who now owns CAP) and the millbox owners CIM Systems and they say that to get a replacement dongle I have to pay full retail for it! I was completely shocked as you can imagine! a 6k dongle?! You've gotta be kidding me! now I own that I lost it. Thats on me, but NO ONE EVER TOLD ME FROM ZANH OR CIM SYSTEMS WHEN I UPGRADED THAT IF THE DONGLE IS LOST I HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW LICENSE(DONGLE) you can bet your ass I would tatooed the damn thing to my hand!
Questions are:
1) Has anyone had a similar issue with them and
2) Has anyone been able to get a dongle replaced for free or a nominal fee from CIM?
3) Don't you guys think there should be some sort of warning when buying/upgrading the system about losing the dongle?!, and shouldn't someone be accountable for that?

Mike Webb, Please call me!

Thanks for letting me rant but 6k is no joke during these times!
 
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You bought it, you lost it.
I find no fault with them selling another one at retail.
 
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erykd1

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I've talked to Jake at (you know where) about if I ever loose/destroy/fire/flood/ etc they have a record of my exocad dongle #'s. I wish someone at CIM would do the same.
 
The Veneer Guy

The Veneer Guy

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they could just ask easily look up the prior dongle, cancel it, and issue a new dongle at a reduced rate
They say every dongle is tied to a license. So they can’t transfer the license to another dongle. I mean, is it that hard?! Exocad does it, albeit a real pain in the Ass but still...I’m sorry but I find that very hard to believe! And there’s that whole issue about not telling me ahead of time!!!
 
2thm8kr

2thm8kr

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They say every dongle is tied to a license. So they can’t transfer the license to another dongle. I mean, is it that hard?! Exocad does it, albeit a real pain in the Ass but still...I’m sorry but I find that very hard to believe! And there’s that whole issue about not telling me ahead of time!!!
@sirmorty care to share your experience with a broken dongle
 
sidesh0wb0b

sidesh0wb0b

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They said broken dongles are different story. Doesn’t require a new license purchase.
tell them you had an employee get pissed, quit, and walk out with it and smash it with a hammer. then its broken LOL
 
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Eric Hall

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I'm sorry man. That stinks to lose your dongle! Here are a couple bits of hopefully helpful info. I'm an employee of CIM. So here's an insider's view.
1. As I understand it the license is truly on the dongle. It's not just "tied to the dongle" in some arbitrary way like on a spreadsheet. It's literally on the dongle itself. What you bought was the license that is on that dongle. It's impossible to turn off or cancel the existing one. They could issue a new one, but that means issuing a new dongle and I'm sure there's cost involved in that. I'm not sure if Exocad eats that cost and makes it up somewhere else or if their dongle is a little different and it connects to Exocad's server in someway and can therefore be turned off. But Millbox doesn't dial out or connect virtually. It's literally a software placed on the dongle itself. Maybe they'll come out with an online version in the future that will make the dongles unnecessary. Hopefully.
2. If you lose your smartphone neither Samsung nor the gas station you bought the phone from will replace it for free. [I'm sure there's some version of buying insurance for your phone to replace it if it ever happens, but obviously you are paying for it as you go in that scenario.] In a normal scenario even a giant company like Samsung wouldn't pay for your lost device nor would we expect them to. We might want the to and beg them to and all that, but your average Joe can look at this and see the similarities.
3. You're sort of looking at this like you've lost the keys to your car when in reality you've lost the engine. That being said, I wish every dealer/reseller did stress the importance of keeping track of that dongle/engine! Everybody, please get a device that locks it to your pc tower. That's the cheapest way to keep from losing it.
 
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sirmorty

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Ughh. I feel for you.

I had a dongle that broke off the back of the PC when the PC fell off the stand when I was cleaning.

I talked to my reseller and they said I would need to update to the latest release. I was 2 releases behind. So I would have to pay to update ($3700 CAD) and $350 CAD for the actual physical new usb dongle.

I ended up talking to Exocad and they just said
"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your reseller is correct.
We can't replace dongles unless they are under contract."
End of story.

Exocad is beyond not helpful to it's customers that are not updated. In fact you're not even one anymore if you don't keep it updated.

Sure people pitch you don't have to pay a yearly fee but if something happens to your dongle you have to update in order for them to give you access to the software that you originally bought.

Since I was already paying for 3shape. I just said I'm not going to support Exocad anymore.

Yeah I know it's my fault but you think they would at least helpt me a out a little bit. The whole thing just left a bad taste in my mouth.

I still have the broken dongle somewhere. I tried to get it fixed because people told me how easy it would be to fix. But it never did work again.

So I did learn a lesson here. Protect your dongle. Especially if you're not updated.
You actually don't own anything without it.
 
sidesh0wb0b

sidesh0wb0b

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Ughh. I feel for you.

I had a dongle that broke off the back of the PC when the PC fell off the stand when I was cleaning.

I talked to my reseller and they said I would need to update to the latest release. I was 2 releases behind. So I would have to pay to update ($3700 CAD) and $350 CAD for the actual physical new usb dongle.

I ended up talking to Exocad and they just said
"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your reseller is correct.
We can't replace dongles unless they are under contract."
End of story.

Exocad is beyond not helpful to it's customers that are not updated. In fact you're not even one anymore if you don't keep it updated.

Sure people pitch you don't have to pay a yearly fee but if something happens to your dongle you have to update in order for them to give you access to the software that you originally bought.

Since I was already paying for 3shape. I just said I'm not going to support Exocad anymore.

Yeah I know it's my fault but you think they would at least helpt me a out a little bit. The whole thing just left a bad taste in my mouth.

I still have the broken dongle somewhere. I tried to get it fixed because people told me how easy it would be to fix. But it never did work again.

So I did learn a lesson here. Protect your dongle. Especially if you're not updated.
You actually don't own anything without it.
so you expected exocad to give you a new updated dongle for no extra charge? cmon that seems pretty reasonable.....pay for the updates to get the new updated dongle.

its a nice bonus to not HAVE to pay for updates and still be able to use exocad. try not paying for updates on 3shape and see what kind of support you get. dongle updates are mandatory. if they were mandatory for exo, you would have just paid the $350. super reasonable.
 
JMN

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[...]

Exocad is beyond not helpful to it's customers that are not updated. In fact you're not even one anymore if you don't keep it updated.

Sure people pitch you don't have to pay a yearly fee but if something happens to your dongle you have to update in order for them to give you access to the software that you originally bought.
[...]
You actually don't own anything without it.
I think this is really the crux of the problem. Misunderstanding.

You are not buying the software, you don't own it, ever. You are paying to rent it for a known term.
Exocad has, legally, every right to turn off the software if the fee for a new year is not paid but didn't want to be that kind of company.

This is not a paper book or VHS movie that you purchase a copy for perpetuity. It's something which you agree to pay for a finite use period. After that use period, you are not a customer, you are a former customer.

If an office has a denture made by your lab, just one, then calls 4 years later because the pt broke it, are you going to replace it?
 
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sirmorty

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Yeah, I never said I wanted it free.
So that's just putting words in my mouth.

I expected them to work with me to a solution that we are both happy with.

That never happened and I chose to go elsewhere
 
JMN

JMN

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Yeah, I never said I wanted it free.
So that's just putting words in my mouth.

I expected them to work with me to a solution that we are both happy with.

That never happened and I chose to go elsewhere
Where did I use the word free? Re read that and see you put those words in my mouth if you would like to get all wound up about who's putting what where.
 
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sirmorty

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Where did I use the word free? Re read that and see you put those words in my mouth if you would like to get all wound up about who's putting what where.
Not you.. easy there man
 
Car 54

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I think this is really the crux of the problem. Misunderstanding.

You are not buying the software, you don't own it, ever. You are paying to rent it for a known term.
Exocad has, legally, every right to turn off the software if the fee for a new year is not paid but didn't want to be that kind of company.

This is not a paper book or VHS movie that you purchase a copy for perpetuity. It's something which you agree to pay for a finite use period. After that use period, you are not a customer, you are a former customer.

If an office has a denture made by your lab, just one, then calls 4 years later because the pt broke it, are you going to replace it?

Yes, agree. We buy the hardware, but only lease the software.
 
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