CompuServe Messages

The file "R4FEAT.TXT" which Gary uploaded and we downloaded does not contain the text "preliminary and subject to change" or indeed anything at all about "subject to change" or even the word "change" anywhere in it. Indeed, I posted some time ago that all of this could have been alleviated if Autodesk or Gary had indeed included such a standard disclaimer, but they didn't. It does, however, say "Preliminary Feature Set," so you do have a point. And Autodesk is making good on the issue by sending out a patch modeller, so as far as I'm concerned the discussion is over. I applaud this move of theirs. Just so you know, what bothered me was not that they left the modeller out. It was that they then proceeded to insult us by tossing in the Browser from Texture Universe (which we and most other 3DSr3 users already had!) as if that would make up for it. Had they simply said something like, "We will provide a patch modeller or some other add-on of equal worth to all registered R4 owners as soon as we have one ready," or "Here is a certificate for $n towards the purchase of any plug-in from any participating vendor," or even "We couldn't provide the spline modeller. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused," I would not have felt that they were insulting my intelligence. Though in the latter case they should at least have lowered the price of the package a couple hundred or so to make up for the perceived loss of value, or provided a rebate for those who had already ordered and paid for it. But even that is secondary to the customer relations fiasco of leaving out a promised valuable feature and attempting to placate us with a far less valuable "toss-in" that most of us already had anyway! If they had just apologized and not tried to placate us with the Browser, even if they gave us no other remuneration, I would have been satisfied. — Joel Rea @ M&M Communications Concepts