Free projects

[JHRICHAIII]

As someone who has aspire and it's additional upgrade, an approximately $2400.00 usd investment, I find it very odd that the only "FREE PROJECTS" are only "offered" to Aspire 9.0 folks. I am curious as to why this is so. I would love to upgrade to 9.0, but financial restraints do not allow me to do so at this time. Are all "FREE PROJECTS" from this date only to be offered to 9.0 and anyone below is treated like a redheaded stepchild? Just curious, so I do not waste my time downloading and getting a message to find out I cannot use the "FREE PROJECTS" without 9.0. I also have an investment to cut2d and photo v carve. I do not recall any change to them similar to this. Thanks for allowing me to express my curiosity.

[martin54]

The monthly projects are produced using the latest version & generally show off new features that are available with the latest version,as far as I am aware you should be able to download & create any of the monthly projects that were created using the software up until the version you own
Not sure what you mean by Aspire & it's additional upgrade though, current price looks to be just under $2000 so maybe you mean you bought the software at some point & upgraded to a latter version some time after that

[LittleGreyMan]

Hi,

Short answer:

For those of you who are not using version 9 you can download the trial version to open all of the FREE projects we're giving away this Christmas!

So you won't have to spend a cent to make this projects with Aspire. But you'll have to machine them without any change.

Long answer:
I'll add o Martin's reply that Vectric folks have to make some money to run their business… So it's logical they promote the last version of their software. And giving free projects that are only compatible with this version sounds fair to me. Yes "giving free" is a pleonasm, I just wanted to emphasize it's only free for us. Vectric staff spent time in designing and testing them.

Just compare Vectric commercial policy with other companies: fully functional demos (except generating code for your own projects, but allowing to save them and use them after licensing), unlimited licenses with no maintenance or other periodic fee, upgrade cost limited to the price difference between products, free projects now generally designed to be machinable with demos, nearly bug free products (the very few bugs are quickly addressed), significant gaps between upgrades, one year free upgrade, …

Very difficult to blame them…

FYI, I'm not a Vectric guy and I didn't upgrade to V9.

[ohiolyons]

I agree with Little Grey Man whole heartily.

I do upgrade Aspire each time because Vectric adds value to each new issue that normal users can actually use.

I can't say this about Microsoft. I only upgrade their software when I get a new computer.

Just a average user thankful for the customer focused attitude from Vectirc.

[DLWOODWORKS]

Vectric is in business to make money by offering software that people can use. The "free" projects they offer are a marketing effort to promote their latest software. It is fully within their right to support any version of their software they want to. How they choose to market and promote their product is up to them, not us.

I have not upgraded to V9 based simply on economics. Their software is VERY good. Putting food on the table and keeping the lights turned on is more important then upgrading a piece of software no matter how much more it offers. I don't use 1/10 of what Aspire can do in V8.5 so I don't really see a driving need to upgrade. Does that make some marketing not available to me? Yeap. But that's a decision only each individual can make. Don't fault Vectric for promoting and marketing their software. They have to put food on their tables and keep their lights on too.

[LittleGreyMan]

Vectric is in business to make money by offering software that people can use. The "free" projects they offer are a marketing effort to promote their latest software. It is fully within their right to support any version of their software they want to. How they choose to market and promote their product is up to them, not us.

I have not upgraded to V9 based simply on economics. Their software is VERY good. Putting food on the table and keeping the lights turned on is more important then upgrading a piece of software no matter how much more it offers. I don't use 1/10 of what Aspire can do in V8.5 so I don't really see a driving need to upgrade. Does that make some marketing not available to me? Yeap. But that's a decision only each individual can make. Don't fault Vectric for promoting and marketing their software. They have to put food on their tables and keep their lights on too.

Thanks for reading my mind and translating it into English!

JHRICHAIII, did the short answer help?

[Jozua]

I have not upgraded to V9 based simply on economics.

+1
I am in the same boat still at Version 8.5. The reason ..........economics!! (due to the ridiculous exchange rate).
This is not Vectric's fault, it is simply good business ethics to promote their latest version and to try and recover the costs of man-hours invested in developing the new features of Version 9.
To be fair, paying for an upgrade every 2nd year is something that does not happen often in the world of software companies.
Vectric, You are the best!!

Joz