The Assimilation Continues

[JakeL]

I've always wanted to talk to a developer and ask about how heirarchy of fixes gets assigned. Is it number of people with the same issue, is it severity of the bug, or something else?

If you ever have that conversation I'd love to hear the answers. This is the best explanation I've seen, by the one and only @Dylan Gondyke

https://www.emastercam.com/forums/topic/110665-common-parameters-plane-update/#comment-1355726

[JakeL]

My other thought here is if, for example they plan on revamping the whole levels and planes manager in MC26, should they be fixing bugs in the levels and planes manager in the MC25 updates? Assuming they aren't software-breaking bugs.

Reason this could matter is because we (the public) doesn't always know the long term plans. Something that seems a priority to us could already be removed from the software in one or two versions ahead.

[CNCAppsJames]

You're right. That was a very good explanation. Dylan is a treasure for Mastercam. I hope he stays there for a good long time. He seems like a young Pete Rimkis. Just salty enough to to have some flavor, but not so much it gets on your nerves.

@Dylan Gondyke is Pete still working or has he retired?

When we're talking about workflow enhancements in a 35+ year old product, some situations are definitely putting developers and designers between a rock and a hard place. This edit common parameters thing is a great example. The changes here allow a multi-setup or multiaxis user to shave literal hours off of retargeting planes/offsets in an existing file, but they added time to a fast portion of a workflow for an existing use case. I think that the checkbox suggestion is a pretty viable fix here and that's what I recommended to them. I also have to say that that's a very easy and dangerous band-aid to simply slap that kind of solution on everything. The easy way out is to put an override checkbox. Or a config checkbox. Or a choice. And then the interface grows, the complexity grows, the sustainability of the software suffers and it becomes nearly impossible for even the person managing that toolpath or feature to understand all the interconnected implications of the checkbox states. And then adding new features or functionality becomes even more difficult, because it paints that developer in a corner with supporting all configuration permutations that exist. It's also much trickier to solve user issues tied to obscure config switches or buried switch options, which I see on this forum often.
 
The multiaxis paths are a good example of a toolpath extreme of this. They're immensely powerful, but they're also checkbox hell. They require significant time and effort to understand, diagnose, and use, but they are the ultimate expression of "Everyone can have their cake and eat it too". I would not say that they're an ideal or optimized user experience, even though we've made significant efforts (Unified) to consolidate and increase the speed of iteration the user is capable of. Moving the entire interface towards this level of complexity is not something we want to impose upon users.


Changing anything in Mastercam today runs the risk of breaking workflows that someone has spent 20 years building their job shop off of- including fixing bugs! Fixing a raster bug might cause the toolpaths to regenerate differently. Fixing a selection bug may remove chains from a toolpath that has remained unchanged in output for 10 releases. This balance is walked with every single bug fix and feature improvement delivered. Is this, to the best of our ability to test and foresee, a net improvement to capability? Are the pain points worth the gain? Sometimes, the answer is no. It's better to leave the bug in place than "fix" something and force every user to react to it. That's a tough call and one you can never, ever directly explain to a new user, or understand/acknowledge as an existing user.

When a new version comes out and a user encounters the same bug or situation from 2 or 3 releases ago, it's easy to throw out "Just fix all the bugs for one release," but it also doesn't jive with seeing the work that goes into each release, and the sheer number of bug fixes that go in over the course of the year, even though we didn't get to one specific item.

The feedback on both forums is important to us- we use it to help refine and shape the product direction and prioritize things that are a pain point for the community. Just because we cannot react to each item, or react immediately, doesn't mean we haven't captured and understood that pain point. For example, the levels/planes revamp in Mastercam 2026 you'll see in the Beta is a response from that product team to a massive list of desires that have built up over the years. I always welcome the discussion because it truly does improve the product, and I look at these sites almost daily to continually integrate thoughts in here into the software, so thank you and keep it up.

[CNCAppsJames]

My other thought here is if, for example they plan on revamping the whole levels and planes manager in MC26, should they be fixing bugs in the levels and planes manager in the MC25 updates? Assuming they aren't software-breaking bugs.

Reason this could matter is because we (the public) doesn't always know the long term plans. Something that seems a priority to us could already be removed from the software in one or two versions ahead.

They are probably building the framework for 2028 already. 2027 is in the UI Dev phase IIRC. 

[Dylan Gondyke]

For a VERY long time, I've wished they (Mastercam) would just devote 1 or 2 quarters every couple/few years and just blow through a bunch of the low hanging, nagging fruit. It would create SO much goodwill with users. Like the file extension order. I'm sorry, but there's just no way in hell somebody would not be able to knock that out in a few hours. Don't make excuses, just do it. I KNOW that is a simple thing.

I'm going to ignore the file extension order as I have a pet peeve about that and it is making me dizzy thinking about why that isn't done this afternoon, BUT to copypasta some of my thoughts from this EMastercam thread: https://www.emastercam.com/forums/topic/110665-common-parameters-plane-update/#comment-1355726

EDIT: Removed this as somehow Jake found this exact thread and posted it while I was dawdling around with the quote button.

[Dylan Gondyke]

@Dylan Gondyke is Pete still working or has he retired?

Pete retired in 2023, unfortunately. I'll take the salty comment as the compliment it is 

[Newbeeee™]

Pete retired in 2023, unfortunately. I'll take the salty comment as the compliment it is 

Honestly, it's complementary!
James will be 1st to tell you if he has a problem

[JakeL]

They are probably building the framework for 2028 already. 2027 is in the UI Dev phase IIRC.

I thought I'd heard somewhere they develop 2 versions ahead. Seems to match what you're saying.

I just don't like when people constantly bash the software. Yes, it deserves a little bashing from time to time, but it's also one of the most capable CAD/CAM software's in the world. Feels like that gets overlooked sometimes.

I also have to remember I'm on Mastercam forums, which exist to report / complain about bugs. And most of the people complaining have been using the software longer than I've been alive, so they know a thing or two.

[JakeL]

EDIT: Removed this as somehow Jake found this exact thread and posted it while I was dawdling around with the quote button.

That explanation is so good I saved a link to that comment. I think this is the second or third time I've reposted the link

[CNCAppsJames]

Pete retired in 2023, unfortunately. I'll take the salty comment as the compliment it is 

Ad it was indeed a compliment. You put us in our place when we need it, give us great info, and you manage to be a likeable dude along the way!  

 

[JParis]

This one get missed?  Nope, I see Gcode got it already

Mastercam Enhances Direct Customer Support with the Acquisition of QTE Manufacturing Solutions

https://www.mastercam.com/news/press-releases/mastercam-acquires-key-assets-of-qte-manufacturing-solutions/

[gcode]

anyone else having trouble logging into Mastercam.com this morning?
I can get to the website, but time out trying to access My Mastercam

[JParis]

anyone else having trouble logging in Mastercam.com this morning?
I can get to the website, but time out trying to access My Mastercam

Nope, just logged in no issues

[JakeL]

anyone else having trouble logging in Mastercam.com this morning?
I can get to the website, but time out trying to access My Mastercam

No issues here

[Newbeeee™]

anyone else having trouble logging into Mastercam.com this morning?
I can get to the website, but time out trying to access My Mastercam

Take it as a sign....