THIS…Feels so true. Although I was about a year, maybe two years later than all of the people who I call “Glowforge Fam” (that crew that has been here since the beginning of time, the ones who rush to AAALLLLLLLLLLL of the newbie’s beck and call, turn things around for Glowforge on receiving a return, answers questions in the middle of the night, instead of going to bed- instead grab a cup of Joe and stay up through the night/nights to help GF’s customers because they can’t, the ones who were there AT ALL TIMES) even though I don’t deserve to be on that list in no way shape or form, THEY ATLEAST deserve to have this on their sleeve at no cost. Hell, I feel like everyone should receive it that had GF before the Premium was brought to the table. But I definitely feel that those GF fams should definitely have it. They deserve it. They stopped me from returning my GF, and at least two more that I could name by screen name. But I was in route, full throttle. And they came along, grabbed me by the hand, wiped my tears, and patted me on the butt, made me feel like there was some hope. After realizing I did not have a customer care team to turn to when all else failed. Even if they couldn’t help, they damn sure didn’t stop until there was some sort of progress. I feel it deep down in my heart that THEY should never be charged that charge. I mean, Does GF fail to realize how much of a staple they are to their product? It is VERY important for most customers, to have someone to make contact w/ by phone, the very second that issues arise, and reality sinks in, that the advertisement they viewed, did not feel anything like “with a touch of a button”. It is very important to have at least someone available for direct customer support. Especially in the price range that the GF is in.
Even though I don’t consider myself anywhere near that list, in fact, I still consider myself a newbie, but even though I don’t feel anywhere near that list-- I feel like I am being robbed by having to pay that! For four days straight I couldn’t even lay a design down on my GFUI w/o having to use my arrow keys because the GFUI was so jittery & so shaky, then -oh-my-GOSH, waiting for my design to load was like dying a painful & slow death, which I was told by GF support that it was my internet connection. Funny how my husband signed up to pay that Premium, ALL OF THAT IMMEDIATELY CAME TO A HALT! The very second I was signed up w/ Premium! All the jitters were completely gone. In fact, it hasn’t jittered since! I already have to pay AI subscription. If I hadn’t received a code to get the Premium discount that I received, I would most likely be posting a GF up for sale. I vowed that I would be upgrading about a year or so earlier with a BOSS, but that would have happened now if I wouldn’t have received an email w/ a disco code.
So, if I feel that way, I can ONLY IMAGINE how those who were GF’s lifesavers for oh so long feel. I know if I were one of those I would feel completely stabbed!
I bought this machine because it was advertised to be as simple as pushing a button. If I didn’t have my GF, none of the shenanigans I am involved in would be occurring. So, for that, I am VERY grateful. Do not get me wrong, I LOVE MY GLOWFORGE. With every ounce of life inside of me. But this Premium has too, put a bad taste in my mouth. I actually REFUSED to pay it. It was my husband (who I am assuming desperately sent GF customer support an email, begging for a code because I thought I was on a trial membership through all of November, & for some reason I thought that I was already somehow accidentally signed up because most trials don’t start until you actually sign up and agree that once the trial ends you will be charged, so I thought I had already unknowingly done so and planned on canceling on the last day of November) it was him who signed me up for the Premium in an underhanded manner. Once I saw WHAT A DIFFERENCE it made, I knew without a doubt that I had NO CHOICE but to keep it. Either that or walk away from GF. And have a much sooner than a comfortable upgrade. Along with a hell of long downtime for me, business-wise, in order to learn that machine.
I am with @sussudio6 they should start low. And then when GFUI is WORTH $50 a month based when it is a lot more advanced, THEN, charge $50 a month. To me, even $17 a month is not WORTH it. But there is no choice in the matter. I HAVE TO HAVE THE PREMIUM. There is no OPTION. It is impossible for me as a business owner. I am barely a business owner after all this other mess going on in the world. Paying that Premium was a “kick me while I’m down” kind of blow. I wouldn’t have been able to afford it under my business. It would have either had to come out of my pocket or my husband’s. Even he knew it and he knows NOTHING about anything on this side of the warehouse, and even he knew it was damn near impossible to keep fighting with “the basic” user face with the bouncing and jittering and waiting SO LONG for one tiny design to upload. He knows NOTHING about GF, GFUI, any designing software, and he could see the difference just by glancing at the GFUI before --while I was cussing ready to pull my hair out–and glancing at the GFUI after he snuck in here and paid for the Premium himself. Just by GLANCING, he saw the difference in the performance of the GFUI basic and Premium.
Honestly, I was ticked off that he went and gave in to it. And at the same time thankful.
That's just my feelings on the situation. I didn't buy this thing thinking or knowing that I would have a monthly subscription that would need to be paid. Nor was it ever even mentioned. Not anywhere that I have been or read at least. If I did know about it before I purchased my GF, I probably would not have purchased this machine.