Freiwald Traincontroller

[ahellary]

1 minute ago, melmerby said:

I got the figures for curreny slightly wrong.

$ is about 1.27 to pound which brings price down to about £667, still twice that of iTrain.

 

other post edited

we all invest a lot of time and learning to a particular system .. which if you have been developing for many years .. the price is actually far higher than just the program cost ... and theres a pain factor also

while i want the best system for my railway there comes a point where the hassel of the best out weighs the pain of moving to a different system and something that seems to have been lost by some developers ... while i feel we should not keep jumping ship unlike car insurance some times you need to take stock

[Bucoops]

41 minutes ago, ahellary said:

that is the real issue that once you have chosen a route its very difficult  to change ant thats i feel is where the developer has you

 

Totally agree. We're stuck with software at work that I positively hate.

[Andymsa]

23 hours ago, pohlmannx said:

I assume that he knows his software very well. If he is convinced that it is not due to the stick, then in my eyes it is quite weighty.

If you don't trust his expertise, I would look for another program.

He may be an expert but that does not make him right by default, or to use a similar parable a doctor is not always right but are experts aswell 

[Trofimow]

12 hours ago, ahellary said:

we all invest a lot of time and learning to a particular system .. which if you have been developing for many years .. the price is actually far higher than just the program cost ... and theres a pain factor also

while i want the best system for my railway there comes a point where the hassel of the best out weighs the pain of moving to a different system and something that seems to have been lost by some developers ... while i feel we should not keep jumping ship unlike car insurance some times you need to take stock

 

Indeed. This thread has given me something of a dilemma.

I've been a happy user of TC for many years, since version 5, fully bought into all its add ons including 4D sound  - but !

 

I'm 9 months into a rebuild of a large and complex layout that absolutely relies on computer control. I anticipate it will take me another 3 years to get the railway to effective operational completion, before I start on the car sysytem. I don't want to find that TC as a system turns up its toes by the time I get there - I assume there is no practical way to make a back up of the dongle.

 

I really don't need the extra programming commitment or expense, but I'm wondering if it might be wise to develop i-train in parallel with TC, to ensure that the layout will still be usable if the worst happens.

 

 

[Edwin_m]

9 minutes ago, Trofimow said:

 

Indeed. This thread has given me something of a dilemma.

I've been a happy user of TC for many years, since version 5, fully bought into all its add ons including 4D sound  - but !

 

I'm 9 months into a rebuild of a large and complex layout that absolutely relies on computer control. I anticipate it will take me another 3 years to get the railway to effective operational completion, before I start on the car sysytem. I don't want to find that TC as a system turns up its toes by the time I get there - I assume there is no practical way to make a back up of the dongle.

 

I really don't need the extra programming commitment or expense, but I'm wondering if it might be wise to develop i-train in parallel with TC, to ensure that the layout will still be usable if the worst happens.

 

 

I plan to stick with TC for the time being, but not buy any upgrades, because it's already paid for and still does what it says on the tin and I don't particularly want to spend several weeks of evenings configuring something else instead.  But if I was starting a new layout I'd definitely be looking at an alternative, because I wouldn't want to have to spend those weeks if TC became unuseable.  I wouldn't be considering parallel development - seems to me to be twice as much work and some extra spending for no real benefit.  

[ahellary]

i must admit im torn

 

i do like tc and have used it for years but im also building a new layout tho a lot of the tc stuff is done now

 

however i am looking at other solutions i think to it will not happen is for tc to revert back to a licence code and no usb stick as it seems to me that the stick is the biggest worry to people its certainly one of my concerns

 

i think i will keep my eys open to see what the other options are doing

 

i do think that tc has really priced itself out of the market in the uk but i dont understand why that stance has been taken as the outcome of the trade deal is not known and at the moment we are still dealing with the eu  on the same terms as we ever did

 

Unless there is something major in the next verion i will probably be staying where i am and thats if there is a next version.

 

 

[ahellary]

30 minutes ago, Edwin_m said:

I plan to stick with TC for the time being, but not buy any upgrades, because it's already paid for and still does what it says on the tin and I don't particularly want to spend several weeks of evenings configuring something else instead.  But if I was starting a new layout I'd definitely be looking at an alternative, because I wouldn't want to have to spend those weeks if TC became unuseable.  I wouldn't be considering parallel development - seems to me to be twice as much work and some extra spending for no real benefit.  

that is my thoughts the only issue is it would be several months not weeks to get back to where i am and thats time i really dont want to spend ... life is too short

[melmerby]

15 minutes ago, ahellary said:

i do think that tc has really priced itself out of the market in the uk but i dont understand why that stance has been taken as the outcome of the trade deal is not known and at the moment we are still dealing with the eu  on the same terms as we ever did

 

I do.

It's straightforward bloodymindedness.

He doesn't like the idea that the UK would vote to leave the EU and is punishing it's citizens for doing so.

There isn't (and AFAIK won't be even on WHO terms) a reason for the amount of price hike due to the prevailing trading conditions.

It's the same with the USA where he said he wouldn't sell to citizens of any US state that voted for Trump.

 

His politics cloud his business decisions.

He is also more and more showing a crotchety nature in his Forum replies.

[melmerby]

Herr Freiwald has recently updated the FAQs regarding the "stick" and I noticed this:

Q.  What happens if at some point in the future your company ceases to exist and the stick breaks?
 

A.  So far it is not foreseeable that we will close our business. And we also hope to be able to operate it for many, many years. Nevertheless, we plan that you can continue to use our software even then. This could be done by enabling activation for existing users without a stick. It would also be conceivable that we then leave behind our software as freeware entirely without activation. The latter would especially please our competitors . Or perhaps someone will simply buy our company by then and continue to operate it. In any case, you don't need to worry much about this point."

[ahellary]

25 minutes ago, melmerby said:

I do.

It's straightforward bloodymindedness.

He doesn't like the idea that the UK would vote to leave the EU and is punishing it's citizens for doing so.

There isn't (and AFAIK won't be even on WHO terms) a reason for the amount of price hike due to the prevailing trading conditions.

It's the same with the USA where he said he wouldn't sell to citizens of any US state that voted for Trump.

 

His politics cloud his business decisions.

He is also more and more showing a crotchety nature in his Forum replies.

 i do agree with you

 

i am reading another softwares manual atm and im almost to the point that i think it will do what i want i just have a couple of things to solve then i will make a decision as im at that point to move now will be a lot easier than moving in 12 months

 

but the issue again is its a one man setup and will it happen again ... ive already had to move once when winlok stopped being developed so im really reticent to move a third time tho i somehow feel that there is little choice in that

[ahellary]

15 minutes ago, melmerby said:

Herr Freiwald has recently updated the FAQs regarding the "stick" and I noticed this:

Q.  What happens if at some point in the future your company ceases to exist and the stick breaks?
 

A.  So far it is not foreseeable that we will close our business. And we also hope to be able to operate it for many, many years. Nevertheless, we plan that you can continue to use our software even then. This could be done by enabling activation for existing users without a stick. It would also be conceivable that we then leave behind our software as freeware entirely without activation. The latter would especially please our competitors . Or perhaps someone will simply buy our company by then and continue to operate it. In any case, you don't need to worry much about this point."

that does make me feel happier

 

i had not seen that

 

but will the support get better or will it continue  down the path of im right you not as the shirley has clearly had

 

Edited July 23, 2020 by ahellary

[WIMorrison]

It would appear that Herr Freiwald is reading this forum and reacting to the comments - with his usual 'interesting' choice of words

 

And Shirley's problem is not when the stick breaks after he has made it into 'freeware' - her problem is now and Herr Freiwald isn't resolving that issue.

Edited July 23, 2020 by WIMorrison

[Shirleybasm]

Well a rather interesting  update to the faq for the stick. But this goes agaist what mr F has put in an email to me that if I take legal action he would close the business down. So clearly A bluff on his part guess I’ll call then.

 

of course the door is always open to mr F to see sense here and I am happy to work with him over the issues but I’m not hopeful of this.

Edited July 23, 2020 by Shirleybasm

[Trofimow]

1 hour ago, ahellary said:

Herr Freiwald has recently updated the FAQs regarding the "stick" and I noticed this:

Q.  What happens if at some point in the future your company ceases to exist and the stick breaks?
 

A.  So far it is not foreseeable that we will close our business. And we also hope to be able to operate it for many, many years. Nevertheless, we plan that you can continue to use our software even then. This could be done by enabling activation for existing users without a stick. It would also be conceivable that we then leave behind our software as freeware entirely without activation. The latter would especially please our competitors . Or perhaps someone will simply buy our company by then and continue to operate it. In any case, you don't need to worry much about this point."

 

That's reassuring as far as it goes....

 

But it does not address Shirley's problem or change the fact that the way she has been treated is IMHO unacceptable.

 

And there's nothing to stop him doing the same to anyone else in the future, should he decide to do so.

[ahellary]

17 minutes ago, Trofimow said:

 

That's reassuring as far as it goes....

 

But it does not address Shirley's problem or change the fact that the way she has been treated is IMHO unacceptable.

 

And there's nothing to stop him doing the same to anyone else in the future, should he decide to do so.

yes it is reassuring .. but interesting it was changed today ... and will it change again

 

yes i agree Shirleys treatment has not been very satisfactory and actually we should do more to encorage ladys into our hobby . I also wonder what will happen to others in a simular situation ... i think the stick is a very outdated method of protection and maybe going back to a key system would be a better solution

[Ouroborus]

3 hours ago, melmerby said:

Herr Freiwald has recently updated the FAQs regarding the "stick" and I noticed this:

Q.  What happens if at some point in the future your company ceases to exist and the stick breaks?
 

A.  So far it is not foreseeable that we will close our business. And we also hope to be able to operate it for many, many years. Nevertheless, we plan that you can continue to use our software even then. This could be done by enabling activation for existing users without a stick. It would also be conceivable that we then leave behind our software as freeware entirely without activation. The latter would especially please our competitors . Or perhaps someone will simply buy our company by then and continue to operate it. In any case, you don't need to worry much about this point."

Erm, hang on with a lot of the assumptions that this is reassuring. 

 

There is a lot of 'loose' speak in this statement such as "so far it is not foreseeable" and "we also hope" and "we plan" and "be conceivable".    These are hardly binding terms.   Like any business, you wouldn't want to tie yourself to something and he certainly hasn't.
 

Some of the other threads regarding his pricing, the 'auto-correct' error of referring to the "United Swamps of America" [nice try], all suggest to me that the chap is unpleasant.   If he really has such a chip on his shoulder about Brexit and Trump, just stop selling to the USA and UK.  But of course money talks and he's not big enough to do this.  Small man syndrome.

[WIMorrison]

@melmerby I believe that the statement you quoted was added to his website today which would suggest that it is in direct response to this email thread and therefo0re he must be reading it, though not using his account as that hasn't been used since Oct, 2010 which suggests another nom de plume is being used.

 

I also note on a second reading that is always uses Our, rather than my, me or I. Is this the use of the Royal We, or does it actually mean that he is not alone and that there is a team of people developing the products?

 

I do find his comment about competitors especially amusing though, but I will admit that the rest is also amusing - and definitely in the Freiwald style 

[melmerby]

3 minutes ago, WIMorrison said:

@melmerby I believe that the statement you quoted was added to his website today which would suggest that it is in direct response to this email thread and therefo0re he must be reading it, though not using his account as that hasn't been used since Oct, 2010 which suggests another nom de plume is being used.

 

I also note on a second reading that is always uses Our, rather than my, me or I. Is this the use of the Royal We, or does it actually mean that he is not alone and that there is a team of people developing the products?

 

I do find his comment about competitors especially amusing though, but I will admit that the rest is also amusing - and definitely in the Freiwald style 

Hi Iain

This is an open forum and you don't need to register to read.

 

[Shirleybasm]

41 minutes ago, melmerby said:

Hi Iain

This is an open forum and you don't need to register to read.

 

I do find it odd that a user would just sign up to specifically comment on someone’s logic and not even respond to any replies to those comments and then the very next day the faq on the stick on freiwalds website are updated, draw your own conclusions 

[pohlmannx]

 

23 hours ago, Shirleybasm said:

 

im a she not a he 

Excuse me please. But I could have guessed that based on your nickname.

  

57 minutes ago, Shirleybasm said:

I do find it odd that a user would just sign up to specifically comment on someone’s logic and not even respond to any replies to those comments 

 I have given my opinion, I will stick to it and I have nothing more to contribute.

[Shirleybasm]

52 minutes ago, pohlmannx said:

 

Excuse me please. But I could have guessed that based on your nickname.

  

 I have given my opinion, I will stick to it and I have nothing more to contribute.

just correcting your post where you put he. Once I can put as a typo but twice.

 

ok you state your opinion  which Is your right, but back them up with hard facts, the only point you made is he is an expert but experts can be wrong at times. I have backed up mine with hard data. Herr freiwald has also never backed up his stance either.

Edited July 23, 2020 by Shirleybasm

[pohlmannx]

19 minutes ago, Shirleybasm said:

ok you state your opinion  which Is your right, but back them up with hard facts

Only logic was important to me and not which side was right.

[Shirleybasm]

6 minutes ago, pohlmannx said:

Only logic was important to me and not which side was right.

That’s as bad as the saying spend a pound to save a penny, or in your case spend a euro to save a cent. This logic you wish to impart has made no contribution to this thread and has only furthered many here as to why you wish to impart this logic

[pohlmannx]

Apparently one may only write something here that suits your plans.

 

2 hours ago, Shirleybasm said:

I do find it odd that a user would just sign up to specifically comment on someone’s logic and not even respond to any replies to those comments

But then you don’t need to find it odd when people you scared don't want to answer anymore.

[Shirleybasm]

14 minutes ago, pohlmannx said:

Apparently one may only write something here that suits your plans.

 

But then you don’t need to find it odd when people you scared don't want to answer anymore.

no every one has a right of reply but to state mr F logic is sound without even presenting actual facts as to why they are sound does not reinforce your point.

 

then you must scare very easily from users views

 

people tend to hide behind silly statements when they not got a solid argument to make a point. If you find this thread and forum such a  waste then retire from it, but your find all forums have these kind of debaits, all those except traincontroller forum where opinions  are not tolerated except for a certain person

Edited July 23, 2020 by Shirleybasm