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Being new to 3D printing (but not to 3D graphics or making stuff in general) what is File2Part offering that the existing combinations of (open source) software lack? I'm still waiting for more bits of my printer to arrive (ORD Bot, naturally!), so I've not experienced the existing software for myself, I'm just interested in input from those who have?

Thanks,

Carl

Seems ok, but why not use the free alternatives? netfab to fix models, slic3r to slice... I find the entire open source community fascinating, and the speed of development surpasses every commercial software company I've seen.

I agree 100%, I just wondered (since I haven't started using netfab, slic3r, etc., yet) what the benefits over the free tools were and why (as of right now) 241 people out of what must be still quite a small community have bought it. I have nothing against commercial software (it keeps a roof over my head) and I'm a big fan of open source works (I release my company's old products and so on under open source licenses).

I'll be interested when they have a static linked Linux version.

I think a lot of software developers shy away from Linux even when they are supplying Mac versions, despite the fact that there are about the same number of Mac and Linux users. The perception is, Linux users won't buy software, and like most stereotypes, it's probably somewhat true. But there's also a fallacy in that analysis. Linux users certainly won't buy commercial software that's not available for Linux! This chicken and egg problem is particularly perverse in the case of 3D printing. The current crop of 3D printing enthusiasts is still a geek-centric swath of humanity, and thus, more likely to be Linux users.

The lack of certain specific commercial software for Linux has occasionally tempted me to get a late model used Mac, but I haven't done so yet. Nothing can tempt me back into the nightmare world of Windows. I'd reject technology, live in a cave and eat berries before owning a Windoze PC.

I'm certainly not going to forgo Linux for 3D printing. There are already plenty of good 3D printing utilities that run just fine in Linux. Thank you open source community!

I do like the basic concept of File2Part, rolling all of these 3D printing functions into one integrated program. I guess if they really want to take that to the ultimate level, they'd slap a 3D CAD front end on their software, but that would be very ambitious!