Being a developer of both cloud based and non-cloud based mission-critical software where lives hang in the balance, I must disagree on debug. I will tell you we get way more problems with people’s network connection or browser settings/version than we ever do on native software. At the moment GF is debugging with a bunch of nerds (folks like us), but when you roll out to the public, it’s not the same. You can say “you can only run on browser X” but that of course is a non-starter since grandma has no idea what browser she is running since it just comes with the computer (no idea why grandma needs a laser cutter, but maybe for her quilting club?). The 3AM debugging of some doc’s firewall/browser settings are a hoot, let me tell you.
As for platforms, you still have to do this, as anybody who develops browser based apps knows that safari for desktop is not at all the same as safari for mobile, and the same goes for chrome, various firefoxes are in a world of their own (particularly on linux), and of course pre-Edge MS browsers induce nausea in most developers. So of course you use a framework, just like on a desktop app, because that’s the only sane way to develop now.
As for running analytics, you still need to do the exact same thing!? I mean the data is the same (platform of user, printer info, etc)… Yes there are patterns of errors in slicing, but I am going to make a wild guess again that more errors will be from networking issues (firewall settings blocking the protocol that the user has no idea how to adjust on their Comcast router, than from a mis-slice from the base software). Of course the analytics are cloud based (elastic search or whatever), so the client just uploads periodically log data.
Not sure why doing the slicing on the board produces any limitations from a file type standpoint (they are computers?).
Modern higher-end embedded boards have the processor power of most low-mid range laptops. Yes, it might take a few more seconds, but that’s really the difference, and depending on your network speed (remember many folks have DSL) that may be canceled out by latency.
You update the boards like every computer on earth with some server hosted updating system.
The biggest downside to cloud though is that like all those games that now are paperweights because the company stopped maintaining the servers, if GF either decided to deprecate the product or goes out of business (gosh I hope not, and can’t wait until GF MkII) we are all then stuck with a giant useless box. In the what are your tools there are people running 1980s tools that still work, but a cloud connected box that has no cloud, is dead. Think about the fact that we needed a change to DMCA to even be allowed to try and revive those services ( http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/11/u-s-govt-grants-limited-right-to-revive-games-behind-abandoned-servers/ ) which should be a serious concern. Not saying @Dan that you guys won’t be awesome corporate partners with all of us and are well funded at the moment, but anyone who bases a business workflow on this tool, should have that concern as due diligence.