Dear Aerotech ...

[denny]

To      : Aerotech <aerotech@globall.com>
Subject : RE: GlobMeteor Pro battery problem

On Wed, 5 Mar 2008, Aerotech wrote:
> I'm afraid it does sound as if the battery is damaged. Unfortunately we
> can no longer repair them as we stopped making them 2 years ago and have
> completely changed manufacturing over to the Ultimates. We can offer you
> an upgrade price on the new Ultimate poi, 16 million colour, USB
> computer link etc. They are £140 each but we give you 20% of what you
> paid for your meteor off the price of the new one.

I really can't justify the cost of your new equipment, I'm not a
performer.  Buying your last range was an extravagant expense for
a hobbyist, and the new stuff is very nearly twice the price.

Even if I was a performer, it doesn't seem like the quality of your
goods (or, at this point, your after-sales service) is on a level with
your prices.

I've now had two Aerotech balls split while on charge due to battery
problems and now the poi breaking for similar reasons.  At least the
balls got fixed, I guess I should count myself lucky they broke in
time!

One of my friends has an Ultimate staff which has already broken,
also while it was on charge, having only been spun a few times.  It
also has the most abysmally conceived programming 'interface' that
I have ever seen or heard of, and that's my industry.  I assume the
'USB computer link' for the new poi also involves manually editing
RGB codes in a text file?  That is NOT a finished product.

Another friend had one of your glow devilsticks which spent more
time broken than working, and the last I heard he'd given up on
trying to get it fixed any more...  or perhaps you just refused
to fix it.

I can't afford to spend hundreds of pounds on anything that will be
unsupported by the manufacturer just a few years later...  that's
taking consumer culture a bit far in my opinion.

Aerotech's reputation has been steadily heading into the bin at all 
the juggling clubs I attend.  I'm starting to see why.

Comments

[mr_magicfingers]

Good letter, think it sucks that they're service is so bad. Definitely not buying any of their gear in the future.

[sepheri.livejournal.com]

manually editing RGB codes in a text file
WTF?! Who sells that to consumers as an interface?

[simont]

It also has the most abysmally conceived programming 'interface' that I have ever seen or heard of, and that's my industry. I assume the 'USB computer link' for the new poi also involves manually editing RGB codes in a text file? That is NOT a finished product.

I can certainly see your point about it not being a finished product, but I'm less convinced that it's the most abysmal interface ever. It does at least sound as if it manages one of making simple things simple and making difficult things possible, and that's better than some interfaces manage!

(Also, I'm not sure I personally wouldn't prefer a text-file interface of that type over a shiny GUI. It'd mean I could write Perl scripts to generate the text files. I get a lot more annoyed with software that makes simple things simple but fails to make difficult things possible than the other way round.)

[deerfold.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I thinks it's useful to have manually editable files as an alternative - so that minor changes can be made in a text editor or you can write your own system to create files, but it's a bit mean on the general populace to make that the only way to create the files.

[simont]

*nods* No argument there. I wasn't saying it was a good interface, merely expressing doubt that it was the worst one ever.

I agree that a shiny GUI and a text-file interface for experts would be preferable to either on its own.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I can certainly see your point about it not being a finished product, but I'm less convinced that it's the most abysmal interface ever.

It's possible that being told that they weren't going to fix my £150 (for the pair) toy may have caused a certain amount of hyperbole :)

Mostly I'm aggrieved by the apparently claim that if you don't make something any more, it's not possible to fix it either. I know they're a small company, but they make expensive gadgets - I definitely would have expected them to keep some spare parts in stock for the last range for longer than this.

The attempt at selling me their new kit on the back of my misfortune did annoy me slightly too, which was vaguely what led to me sticking the boot in where that range is concerned.

As stated by yourself and others elsewhere on this post, clearly they should be offering a GUI tool that creates and edits the text files for you, leaving you with the option to get stuck into the text file directly should you so desire.

[djlongfella.livejournal.com]

With respect, the rgb colour mixing led's are probably running on/ from a dmx 512 circit comumicator, which is bassed on a series of address channels followed by a series of commands / output data voltages rangeing from 0 - 255 ( binary address as start channel )
Much as I'm sure most of " you " would understand and comprehend the basic programing rites of dmx, they are trying to flog a gadget to the " public " who prefere text.,...

But I must admit, the service level you are getting smax of Failz Skillz akin to your cooking...

[robhu.livejournal.com]

Is it possible for you to make your own replacement battery?