APA Open Community

Hello everyone!
How has your overall experience been working with Trotec's new software, Ruby?
What difficulties have you had and how have you overcome them?
Do you get random Chinese Dragon Sculpture photos when importing a job? (This is not a joke... this is a real question.) Or random objects dispersed throughout the art file? 
Do you have difficulties with connecting script text etching as a solid black object? 
Most recently we've had a traced signature go from thin and elegant in Corel to incredibly chunky in Ruby... with no fix so far. 
I am looking to open a general discussion thread here so we can all learn tips and tricks and learn together. 
Thanks!

------------------------------
Melissa Swander
Awards4u
Tallahassee FL
850.878.7187 EXT106
------------------------------

We have not switched to Ruby and unless we buy a new machine or are forced to change due to some other reason, I prefer to stick with Job Control. Ruby looks to have some fancy features but my concern is that when you make changes on the fly that are not made to the original file, what happens when that customer comes back to do a repeat order?

To my mind, Trotec remains the best laser on the market, and I am a Trotec shop. But it concerns me that the drive to Ruby is leaving support for Job Control behind for customers who have invested in their machines pre-Ruby. We try to keep our computers current so we have moved to Windoes 11, but last time I checked, Job Control would not run on Windows 11. The same issue exists with drivers for other manufacturers. This is a disservice to their customers.

------------------------------
Lisa Higginbotham CRM
Owner
FiveStar Awards & Engraving
Cary NC
919.954.1130
fivestarawards.net
lisah@fivestarawards.net
------------------------------

We have also not switched to Ruby.  We have looked through the software and right now it would cause more problems than fix them.

------------------------------
Rick Woltman CRS
Woltman Trophies & Awards
Bridgeton MO
314.306.4307
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-13-2022 11:03
From: Lisa Higginbotham
Subject: Trotec - Ruby

We have not switched to Ruby and unless we buy a new machine or are forced to change due to some other reason, I prefer to stick with Job Control. Ruby looks to have some fancy features but my concern is that when you make changes on the fly that are not made to the original file, what happens when that customer comes back to do a repeat order?

To my mind, Trotec remains the best laser on the market, and I am a Trotec shop. But it concerns me that the drive to Ruby is leaving support for Job Control behind for customers who have invested in their machines pre-Ruby. We try to keep our computers current so we have moved to Windoes 11, but last time I checked, Job Control would not run on Windows 11. The same issue exists with drivers for other manufacturers. This is a disservice to their customers.

------------------------------
Lisa Higginbotham CRM
Owner
FiveStar Awards & Engraving
Cary NC
919.954.1130
fivestarawards.net
lisah@fivestarawards.net
------------------------------

I totally agree with Lisa.  The manufactures have to remember we have long term customers that like to do the exact same award for years on end.  When they make our very expensive machines obsolete or without support it is a disservice to us.

------------------------------
Sheri Arnold CRS
Arnolds for Awards
Shingle Springs CA
530.677.0623
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-13-2022 11:03
From: Lisa Higginbotham
Subject: Trotec - Ruby

We have not switched to Ruby and unless we buy a new machine or are forced to change due to some other reason, I prefer to stick with Job Control. Ruby looks to have some fancy features but my concern is that when you make changes on the fly that are not made to the original file, what happens when that customer comes back to do a repeat order?

To my mind, Trotec remains the best laser on the market, and I am a Trotec shop. But it concerns me that the drive to Ruby is leaving support for Job Control behind for customers who have invested in their machines pre-Ruby. We try to keep our computers current so we have moved to Windoes 11, but last time I checked, Job Control would not run on Windows 11. The same issue exists with drivers for other manufacturers. This is a disservice to their customers.

------------------------------
Lisa Higginbotham CRM
Owner
FiveStar Awards & Engraving
Cary NC
919.954.1130
fivestarawards.net
lisah@fivestarawards.net
------------------------------

Lisa,
I just purchased my first Trotec after using Universals for years. We got flooded from Ian and had to buy new computers, the only ones we could find have Windows 11 on them. Are you saying job control an or Ruby will not run on it?

Eric
Naples Awards
Naples, Fl
239-774-2410

------------------------------
Eric Beauchamp
Naples Awards Inc
Naples FL
239.774.2410
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-13-2022 11:03
From: Lisa Higginbotham
Subject: Trotec - Ruby

We have not switched to Ruby and unless we buy a new machine or are forced to change due to some other reason, I prefer to stick with Job Control. Ruby looks to have some fancy features but my concern is that when you make changes on the fly that are not made to the original file, what happens when that customer comes back to do a repeat order?

To my mind, Trotec remains the best laser on the market, and I am a Trotec shop. But it concerns me that the drive to Ruby is leaving support for Job Control behind for customers who have invested in their machines pre-Ruby. We try to keep our computers current so we have moved to Windoes 11, but last time I checked, Job Control would not run on Windows 11. The same issue exists with drivers for other manufacturers. This is a disservice to their customers.

------------------------------
Lisa Higginbotham CRM
Owner
FiveStar Awards & Engraving
Cary NC
919.954.1130
fivestarawards.net
lisah@fivestarawards.net
------------------------------

Hello!
I appreciate everybody's comments on the thread. I understand the frustrations as well.
To clarify, we do not design in Ruby, or make on the fly changes. We are still creating and saving the art in CorelDraw, then uploading to run in Ruby.
I do think that eventually Ruby will be necessary to deal with, and that is why we are taking it on now, rather than waiting until Job Control no longer works. 
Our wonderful Operations Manager, Joni Wilson, guided me to a Facebook group called Trotec Laser Users that I have already found useful, and I wanted to pass that along to you all as a resource. (I see Lisa is already a member, and others may be as well.)

Have a great day! 


------------------------------
Melissa Swander
Awards4u
Tallahassee FL
850.878.7187 EXT106
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-15-2022 08:31
From: Eric Beauchamp
Subject: Trotec - Ruby

Lisa,
I just purchased my first Trotec after using Universals for years. We got flooded from Ian and had to buy new computers, the only ones we could find have Windows 11 on them. Are you saying job control an or Ruby will not run on it?

Eric
Naples Awards
Naples, Fl
239-774-2410

------------------------------
Eric Beauchamp
Naples Awards Inc
Naples FL
239.774.2410
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 11-13-2022 11:03
From: Lisa Higginbotham
Subject: Trotec - Ruby

We have not switched to Ruby and unless we buy a new machine or are forced to change due to some other reason, I prefer to stick with Job Control. Ruby looks to have some fancy features but my concern is that when you make changes on the fly that are not made to the original file, what happens when that customer comes back to do a repeat order?

To my mind, Trotec remains the best laser on the market, and I am a Trotec shop. But it concerns me that the drive to Ruby is leaving support for Job Control behind for customers who have invested in their machines pre-Ruby. We try to keep our computers current so we have moved to Windoes 11, but last time I checked, Job Control would not run on Windows 11. The same issue exists with drivers for other manufacturers. This is a disservice to their customers.

------------------------------
Lisa Higginbotham CRM
Owner
FiveStar Awards & Engraving
Cary NC
919.954.1130
fivestarawards.net
lisah@fivestarawards.net

I don't know about Ruby. I would imagine that possibly Ruby would work on W11 but I would have to ask. I do know Job Control will not, so those machines are all on W10.

------------------------------
Lisa Higginbotham CRM
Owner
FiveStar Awards & Engraving
Cary NC
919.954.1130
fivestarawards.net
lisah@fivestarawards.net
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-15-2022 08:31
From: Eric Beauchamp
Subject: Trotec - Ruby

Lisa,
I just purchased my first Trotec after using Universals for years. We got flooded from Ian and had to buy new computers, the only ones we could find have Windows 11 on them. Are you saying job control an or Ruby will not run on it?

Eric
Naples Awards
Naples, Fl
239-774-2410

------------------------------
Eric Beauchamp
Naples Awards Inc
Naples FL
239.774.2410
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 11-13-2022 11:03
From: Lisa Higginbotham
Subject: Trotec - Ruby

We have not switched to Ruby and unless we buy a new machine or are forced to change due to some other reason, I prefer to stick with Job Control. Ruby looks to have some fancy features but my concern is that when you make changes on the fly that are not made to the original file, what happens when that customer comes back to do a repeat order?

To my mind, Trotec remains the best laser on the market, and I am a Trotec shop. But it concerns me that the drive to Ruby is leaving support for Job Control behind for customers who have invested in their machines pre-Ruby. We try to keep our computers current so we have moved to Windoes 11, but last time I checked, Job Control would not run on Windows 11. The same issue exists with drivers for other manufacturers. This is a disservice to their customers.

------------------------------
Lisa Higginbotham CRM
Owner
FiveStar Awards & Engraving
Cary NC
919.954.1130
fivestarawards.net
lisah@fivestarawards.net

Hi Melissa,

We are disappointed with what Trotec has done with Ruby.  It's like selling me a car with parts missing.  It just doesn't work right or well.  We haven't switched because, why would you?  It doesn't work well and I don't have time to be a free product tester on a beta software that wasn't even ready for beta.  Sell me a supposed Ferrari with a half built YUGO engine?  No thanks!  Honestly, this has left me pretty concerned about Trotec and those making these types of decisions within the company.  If it isn't ready to go don't try to sell me on it!  How many releases so far?  It just wasn't well thought out before it was pushed out and no I don't want to be a free product tester.  The time we've wasted on it is time we won't get back and productivity lost and I'm supposed to be impressed?  I'm not!!!   I get into the seat of the Ferrari, fire up the engine and it sputters, dies and won't restart.  That's my current view on Ruby.  Kill it and move on or get it right before pushing it out!

------------------------------
Mike Westbrook
Owner
Mile High Laser Engraving
Denver, CO
720-930-4667
info@milehighlaserengraving.com
www.milehighlaserengraving.com
------------------------------

New software is often frustrating, and I think we've found Ruby to be just that. I've allowed Melissa and her staff to run Job Control (for their comfort zone) but have also been pushing them to learn Ruby, because, as we just found out, it will soon be all you can use. 

We just had a fire in our Trotec Speedy 400 and have a new machine on the way. Guess what? It ONLY operates on Ruby. I'm happy that at least our operators have a working knowledge of it and won't be completely in the dark when the new machine gets here. I'm hoping that anyone out there that is using Ruby will share their experience with us so we can get better with it. It IS the wave of the future so you can either ride it or get swamped by it. We prefer to ride it and learn rather than avoiding what is on the horizon and be forced to learn under pressure. Eventually our other Trotecs will need replacing and by then we should have it mastered (to the extent any software that has bugs can be mastered).

------------------------------
Sam Varn, CRM
Awards4U
President / Zen Master of Recognition
sam.varn@awards4u.com
850-878-7187
Tallahassee, FL USA
www.awards4u.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-18-2022 12:44
From: Mike Westbrook
Subject: Trotec - Ruby

Hi Melissa,

We are disappointed with what Trotec has done with Ruby.  It's like selling me a car with parts missing.  It just doesn't work right or well.  We haven't switched because, why would you?  It doesn't work well and I don't have time to be a free product tester on a beta software that wasn't even ready for beta.  Sell me a supposed Ferrari with a half built YUGO engine?  No thanks!  Honestly, this has left me pretty concerned about Trotec and those making these types of decisions within the company.  If it isn't ready to go don't try to sell me on it!  How many releases so far?  It just wasn't well thought out before it was pushed out and no I don't want to be a free product tester.  The time we've wasted on it is time we won't get back and productivity lost and I'm supposed to be impressed?  I'm not!!!   I get into the seat of the Ferrari, fire up the engine and it sputters, dies and won't restart.  That's my current view on Ruby.  Kill it and move on or get it right before pushing it out!

------------------------------
Mike Westbrook
Owner
Mile High Laser Engraving
Denver, CO
720-930-4667
info@milehighlaserengraving.com
www.milehighlaserengraving.com
------------------------------

This is quite a product (rather brand) testimonial, that even with the frustration of new software the "next machine" decision is already made (which I totally understand).  It also makes me more appreciative that we never really even think about the software that drives our complex lasers (another of the big three USA brands) ... it's no more combersome than "file -> print".

------------------------------
Amy Werninger
High Point Award and Gift
Kingston NH 03848
603.347.1483
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-21-2022 10:59
From: Sam Varn
Subject: Trotec - Ruby

New software is often frustrating, and I think we've found Ruby to be just that. I've allowed Melissa and her staff to run Job Control (for their comfort zone) but have also been pushing them to learn Ruby, because, as we just found out, it will soon be all you can use. 

We just had a fire in our Trotec Speedy 400 and have a new machine on the way. Guess what? It ONLY operates on Ruby. I'm happy that at least our operators have a working knowledge of it and won't be completely in the dark when the new machine gets here. I'm hoping that anyone out there that is using Ruby will share their experience with us so we can get better with it. It IS the wave of the future so you can either ride it or get swamped by it. We prefer to ride it and learn rather than avoiding what is on the horizon and be forced to learn under pressure. Eventually our other Trotecs will need replacing and by then we should have it mastered (to the extent any software that has bugs can be mastered).

------------------------------
Sam Varn, CRM
Awards4U
President / Zen Master of Recognition
sam.varn@awards4u.com
850-878-7187
Tallahassee, FL USA
www.awards4u.com
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 11-18-2022 12:44
From: Mike Westbrook
Subject: Trotec - Ruby

Hi Melissa,

We are disappointed with what Trotec has done with Ruby.  It's like selling me a car with parts missing.  It just doesn't work right or well.  We haven't switched because, why would you?  It doesn't work well and I don't have time to be a free product tester on a beta software that wasn't even ready for beta.  Sell me a supposed Ferrari with a half built YUGO engine?  No thanks!  Honestly, this has left me pretty concerned about Trotec and those making these types of decisions within the company.  If it isn't ready to go don't try to sell me on it!  How many releases so far?  It just wasn't well thought out before it was pushed out and no I don't want to be a free product tester.  The time we've wasted on it is time we won't get back and productivity lost and I'm supposed to be impressed?  I'm not!!!   I get into the seat of the Ferrari, fire up the engine and it sputters, dies and won't restart.  That's my current view on Ruby.  Kill it and move on or get it right before pushing it out!

------------------------------
Mike Westbrook
Owner
Mile High Laser Engraving
Denver, CO
720-930-4667
info@milehighlaserengraving.com
www.milehighlaserengraving.com