It’s sad, this dead horse had been beaten to hamburger. Yet I keep coming back for fear of missing something.
That and I’ve read every post on this forum so far and hate to break that streak.
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I don’t understand these posts. They all start from the perspective of lost profits being the source of their anger, when they knowingly invested in a new product in an otherwise established market.
If you’ve got a business running, or planned out to the point that you feel you can mention lost revenue as a factor, why did you risk a glowforge? Why not buy an established laser cutter, albeit at a higher initial cost, and just make the money? And for the life of me the only answer I can come up with is you’re utterly full of it.
You’re making up some imaginary business scenario in your head to justify feeling disappointed, and propping it up as factual. Glowforge didn’t invent laser cutters, and it’s not the best you can buy, so what are you talking about? Why haven’t you cancelled, capitalized the expense of the other unit, and moved on?
I get the disappointment, we all do, but the ridiculous dramatization is just so uncalled for.
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That’s probably the only thing that I thought was disingenuous. The ready to buy feel of the project. All of the information was readily available that indicated otherwise but you needed to look for it. I knew immediately but also knew at the time I placed my order that it was going to be an issue later. You can decide for yourself whether is was a conscious effort to deceive or whether it was the marketing that just went too far. It’s not my right to judge without being in the room.
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Thank you for posting my thoughts exactly…
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Looking at their website at the time lead a lot of people to believe that it was. Even Norm from tested who was all up in glowforges business thought they would be ready. That is how it was presented to me. That is how they HAD to present it to get the pre-sales that they did. 3 months from purchase is about a normal gear up time from manufacturing that has already begun to shipping.
If you foresaw these delays you are wiser than me. Ive been on the forums since I purchased in october and never saw anyone saying “theres no way that it will be finished by then”. We all took them at their word.
Im not trying to talk down about them, this is the way they were more than likely pushed to do business. First to market, get the sales, hope everything runs smoothly. Thats all you can do when you havent fully tested your product, but dont want to lose market share to competitors who are on the prowl.
I dont have any ill will towards anyone involved, I really like Dan and his crew, and its unfortunate theyve had to deal with this setback. I still bought it, Im still excited about it, I would volunteer to help work on it if I could. It looks amazing. People are just disappointed they dont get to play with it yet.
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I’m just having fun here so this is not a comment on anything you have said. This is a post of mine from Oct 16th last year.
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I would say you are one of those rare folks who really do make decisions based on logical outcomes and not on what would make me feel good. You blow the hyperbolic discounting graph. And that is so neat to know that it is possible to delay gratification.
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Nah totally cool. I dont even think Ive seen that post. You definitely called it, but the judgement you made was based on experience in the industry and having the foresight to look into those things. The general public would have no reason to believe anything other than what was presented to them otherwise.
And they surely didnt put that post on the front of the glowforge website and say this guy is probably right lol.
They got all that cash from investors and were probably pushed to market sooner than they were ready. Like I said before, if the guys from Tested, who has been to glowforge HQ for months were even caught off guard, you know something is up. It happens, it sucks, most of us didnt see it coming, so were more disappointed than the few who did. I wish I would have had your level of insight at the time. I still would have bought one, but I would have been a little less surprised by the delay…
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Don’t disagree.
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aww man, an rpegg like! thats like a badge itself
I have to say, even though we dont have glowforges yet, im really happy to be part of a community with so many cool people in it. Sometimes I feel bad for the people who dont visit the forums because while theyre missing out on their glowforges, theyre also missing out on all the great stuff that comes out of here. So cheers to you guys, I couldnt ask for a better group to be waiting with
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Hi @chris,
Fair enough. With this explanation, I feel I better understand your point of view.
I was just totally geeking out with my Communication Studies stuff in response to a comment by @rpegg. When I hear about a real world example of something taught in class, it’s hard to hold back. 
Heck, in the fall I might even use some of the stuff discussed in these forums for examples when covering Organizational Communication in my classes (changing all names, including Glowforge, of course).
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So, what you’re saying is, a product delay outside of your control has forced you to alter your timeline and make some changes? And in doing so, you unfortunately let down someone who relied on you and you’re heartbroken about the situation and, despite your best intentions, you’re not going to be able to make it happen in time for the deadline?
Man, that sounds familiar…
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Out of likes again… but this cant wait. 
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While I completely sympathize with @chris, your reply is spot on. You could’ve even added the fact that it’s costing Glowforge money from returns and the product they’re sending as compensation.
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Been trying for two days to provide that type of basic thought and failed miserably. @Erin said it perfectly without being forced to take a side.
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This is exactly why, while sorely disappointed, I’m not actually angry with anyone but myself.
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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…
There are risks you take in business everyday, investing in a prototype without a backup plan is NOT one of them.
You worded this very elegantly, so you get a like.
I wish I could give you more…
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Brilliant! Bravo! Encore!
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I do agree with Chris to a point. If the power supply was the cause of the delay, then why is there a lot more hiring & work to do when we are so close to the June shipping window? Or worded more another way, if the power supply hadn’t been an issue, where would things have fallen short if the June ship date had stuck?
That being said, watching the Q&A has given me hope & confidence. I just hope it isn’t for nothing and that months from now I’m not kicking myself for not saying screw it and picking up a Full Spectrum H-series.
Sorry I only get to like this once…
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