I ordered my GF 10/05/2015 9:04 a.m. and I participate in the forum on a some what regular basis. I’m not a laser user nor do I have any experience in any software that designs things. I’m a small time hobbyist and enjoy doing the small things in life. It is very frustrating to see people who ordered their GF after you, get theirs before you, but I anticipated there there would be problems with this type of purchase. We live in an unfair world so I try not to let these small problems bother me because life is too short & hopefully I will get my GF before my short life is over. Anyway have a great day & lets all make something.
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Most companies and interactions that involve actually ordering a product, for the most part do. I, as well as others, understand that location, order size and other relevant factors sometimes effect order of shipping. But in a lot of peoples opinion, forum participation is never a relevant factor for most companies or products. Most companies ship according to order date. Ones that don’t typically get flack for it
Whether they decide to change their policies or not based on customer dissatisfaction is not going to stop people from posting about their dissatisfaction. It’s an ongoing issue that is still not addressed. They have (slightly) addressed communication in the past over complaints. Maybe it’ll happen again.
I didn’t say it is available elsewhere. Bit it IS well within the capability of their hardware and has even been alluded to in marketing materials. If the software can do what it does, I would expect the other features to be there as well.
And this reference on my part was for the glowforge team themselves. Not other companies. I would expect them to have arrived at these features as they are fairly obvious in my opinion. I didnt think it would need to be suggested by forum goers.
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I ordered a pro in the first hour. I also qualify for skipping in line, so what I gained for my participation is strictly personal. Those who actively participated did two things: first they built an online community that somehow didn’t go dark through two years of waiting. That is a valuable asset for a company. They also answer questions posted here quickly. Glowforge could not have done the first and could only have done the second by paying another salary. Dan made a decision to reward it.
Clearly tension sometimes arises. It also happens when employees officially post. Shipping the backlog will help a lot. I’m still waiting for mine and my head has a lot of dark thoughts about the situation swirling around.
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Yes but a lot of people did that and only a select few were rewarded based on a unknown set of criteria. You could not have done the first one by yourself either. This further aggravates people. Its their decision to make but its no wonder that its going to annoy customers. Especially those who “actively participated” and didnt get rewarded. (This doesnt include myself as I did not participate.)
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Adam did receive his early on… and have you seen Tested lately… have use another more powerful laser… I haven’t even seen the Glowforge in their videos in a few months.
@pdbarnett I totally agree with you and have made my own posts here on about how I feel… and all Dan pretty much says is “hang in there”. I am right there with you on posting here as well… yes I can learn from others who have posted who have a machine already, but that doesnt mean what I contribute would help since I don’t have a machine… plus seeing those posts by others makes me feel less than them because they already have a machine.
@Jules signing up as a beta tester was a waste of time too… I did sign up and it asks if you are someone of importance in its questions. I talked to Dan early on when I first ordered about a couple ideas I had and he sounded like he was very interested in seeing those projects… but that didn’t help me get any beta or pre-release unit.
I dont want to wait until Oct to get mine and I especially don’t want to wait to Oct to receive my email and then have it take another 6 weeks to get it to me. I ordered a basic within the first week and still no email. I feel the least Dan should do is let us know where they are at on the list of orders… or how many machines are getting shipped daily.
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I thought this was such a shame. People here would have loved and used that machine and it just sits in the background with stuff piled up on it. They effectively use it as a shelf. I dont blame glowforge for wanting their exposure and reach for the company. Just disappointed that it could have gone to someone more appreciative.
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The Pre-Release deliveries were just another form of Beta Testing. The Beta units went out to folks that knew what they were doing, and for the most part had lots of experience in testing, designing or the use of similar technologies. They were not allowed to provide feedback to the forum. The Pre-Release units were shipped to a broad selection of customers based on what the company needed at that time. There were people that were experienced with technologies, there were people that had zero experience with design software or lasers. The amount of feedback provided to the company and the changes that have directly resulted from that feedback is astonishing. The Pre-Release program served the company well and by extension the customer base. With very few exceptions the Pre-Release users were average folk and quite a few were not forum participants.
Disagree with how units are being shipped now that production has started but it makes little sense to complain about either the Beta or Pre-Release programs. Those were part of the development and test process.
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And Adam is a consultant for GF as well… in his own words (at about 20 secs)… whats that mean that he’s not even using it? BTW they have a pre-release… wonder if they got a production model yet?
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I’m really sorry we let you down. You should have had your machine far sooner. I apologize.
I want thank you for taking the time to come here and share your thoughts. Our failure to deliver has made people frustrated, angry, confused, disappointed, sad, and more. You have every right to share those here, and to hold us accountable however you see fit: through calling us out, cancelling your order, telling your friends about how you were treated, and making future purchases with another supplier.
I’m saying this here because I want you to know my, personal opinion: your upset is valid, and you have every reason to call us out. And again, because I’m sorry.
As to your criticisms that we’re not communicating well, or making the right decisions about shipping order: you may well be right. Every day our team gets called on to make tradeoffs. I know I don’t always get them right. Right now we’re optimizing for a quality product as quickly as possible, and pushing most other priorities to the side to make that happen. That may be the wrong decision, and I know it’s a decision that frustrates people.
Thanks for taking the time to post here. I know it’s not easy. It helps us, and the community, when you are forthright with us. I’m sorry it’s taken so long, and I can’t wait to get you your Pro.
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Thank you @dan for responding. I only really have this to add to what I posted originally: Since some of the bumping up of other people in line seems to be based on how much they might be able to help or deal with a less-than-perfect experience, there didn’t seem to be anything between “beta” and “final release” to allow for others to join in. I’m highly technical in my day job (software developer … and I’ve been creating software since I was 8 years old, and you may use some devices, applications or features of a particular operating system that I’ve worked on), deal with technical challenges with various other equipment loosely related to GlowForge while working on projects for my small business (e.g., assembling and troubleshooting CNC routers and 3D printers) and could deal with challenges that might arise with a GlowForge. I didn’t even apply for the beta since my schedule at the time wasn’t going to allow me to put in as much time as was needed/requested. Now that final units are shipping, if folks who are willing to deal with bumps in the road with hardware and software are preferred, perhaps it would have been good to have a survey to find out who could/would deal with those things vs. who just wanted a final as-perfect-as-possible experience. Instead it sort of seems like everything is being treated as black and white – either you know the right people or were lucky to be chosen for the beta so you’ll get your final unit ‘early’, or you’re in the ‘everyone else’ category who is perhaps assumed to only be capable of or interested in dealing with a virtually flawless product. There’s a gray area in there.
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Ironically “knowing the right people” gets you the opposite effect. We pushed employees and paid partners back on the delivery list, even as we pulled people forward who helped with the development of the product for free. We didn’t feel good about getting our machines when so many customers didn’t have theirs. The numbers were roughly the same, in fact - I think around ~100 were accelerated and 100 were demoted. The net impact on the line is close to zero.
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Ha…go to work for Glowforge never get the unit you ordered… The cobblers kids have no shoes 
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yeah but you get laser Thursdays and testing time.
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It’s true, and our staff can check out machines over the weekend (although transporting them back and forth can be an adventure). But it lets us put literal miles on the machines and packaging.
Also, employees get unlimited Proofgrade materials for personal projects. So it’s not all bad. 
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so quick route to getting hired would be to send in a selfie with a sign around my neck saying “will work for proofgrade” ?
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You can’t do that…that was my idea. 
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I didn’t order until the last week (or second to last week, maybe?) of the preorder thinger. I’m pretty sure the parts that will make my eventual glowforge aren’t even made yet. So, I know this whole thing is probably much, much more frustrating for people who are closer to the front of the line.
That said, if it makes anyone feel better*, those of us waiting can console ourselves that everyone right now are getting the first pancakes. And the first pancakes are always the ones you give to your dad. Or the dog. Or just throw away. They’re sort of lumpy, and a little undercooked, and they stuck to the pan weird.
Glowforge will work out all those kinks, hopefully, and then we will get ours. Perfectly cooked.
*I also hope this doesn’t make anyone feel worse. But I’m just going to assume those first-in-line people can console themselves with their glowforges…
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OK so Jules gets have your proofgrade.
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So, if we’re a customer and have already taken delivery, if we apply for a position at GF, do we have to give up our machine if we get the job? 
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