Where is the support?

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 1:36 pm

My sincere apologies to everyone for not having been around to take care of things. I will try to get back on track in the coming days, respond to mails and messages and issues related to orders... and if time allows, I will also try to get into reading and responding to forums posts.

Trausti

by **kbellis** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 6:14 pm

Glad to hear that you are still with us Trausti - we've missed you - and hope that burnout hasn't had its toll on you!

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:38 pm

Today I should be able to attend to some of the things I have been forced to leave hanging for almost 2 months.... if nothing else pops up and robs me of the time I am trying to steal for this. I have a ton of mails and messages... and those will have first priority... so please... unless you are in a very tight spot, try to survive until I have a little more time. Sorry for this... but I think this is what we call "real life".

by **Pbaba** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 1:57 pm

Hi Trausti
Pls try & squeeze some time out to authorize my updating to current version.I'm with Ver. 2.0686 from the moment I purchased on Jan 24 this year.
its tough enough trying to find my feet, as I'm very new, without having to wonder whether the reason something I'm attempting is not going as per tutorial because of a older version.
Thx
Pbaba

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:36 am

Done, and I will dive into the mountain of other PM's in the coming days. Need to clear up my soup.

by **jnbs07** » Sun Feb 13, 2011 2:05 pm

hi Trausti! hope you got my PM, i'm inquiring about purchasing a component of Pano Cocoon. Hope to hear from you- Godbless

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 3:34 am

Didn't get the time needed last time, but I am dedicating today (friday) and the rest of the weekend to catching up with all what I have left behind. That includes the PM's. Sorry for not having got to that part yet.

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Wed May 25, 2011 2:57 pm

Once again I have been without time, and it shows.

I will take the rest of the day "off" to try and bring some order to mails and messages... and if there is anything to spare, I will put that to good forums use.

My sincere apologies to all those who have been affected by this.

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 1:33 am

This is one of those times taking place again. I have been too busy (still am)... to take care of things. I will need a couple more days, and then I will read PM's, mails and posts... and try to get myself updated on things.

A new version will be out very soon, making things simpler and easier.

My sincere apologies for this messed up situation...

Trausti

by **thwohojr** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 3:03 pm

Trausti,
We can all relate to the life away from FFC and all of it's demands. I myself have been away for quite sometime, but I'm back now and will try to help out with what I can.
New Version?

Can't wait to give it a run.
Woody

by **Bruce Hemming** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 3:35 pm

I've also been away for a while (life can deal some hard knocks) but am also waiting the next version with interest. I will also try and help answering questions where my limited experience can be applied.

Bruce

by **DemonDuck** » Wed Sep 14, 2011 2:04 pm

Trausti Hraunfjord wrote:This is one of those times taking place again. I have been too busy (still am)... to take care of things. I will need a couple more days, and then I will read PM's, mails and posts... and try to get myself updated on things.

A new version will be out very soon, making things simpler and easier.

My sincere apologies for this messed up situation...

Trausti

Do the things that are important before you do the other things. Your own life is more important than a software update.

by **cellarman** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 12:52 pm

Hi Trausti
I see you have been having trouble with this forum, mainly lost accounts & posts. I have also had to re register and now I cant PM you for some reason. When you get time can you please PM me so that I can re activate the updates. FYI I have registered with the same user ID as last time.

Brian
(Cellarman)

by **Bruce Hemming** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 3:47 am

If anyone hasn't done it yet do make sure that you download the latest version - many improvements and easier usage from the dragable scroll bar on the hotspots to the drag and drop mp3 onto hotspot. FFC continues to get better and easier to use - Big thank you Trausti

by **jayjay** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 7:25 am

Would it not be a good idea to have additional MODS for the forum to answer questions etc if things are getting a bit too much? I'm desperate to get some help on the project im involved with but it is difficult to get the support here. On the other hand I know you are busy with other things so i can understand totally where you are coming from...... hope its not too harsh

by **rawtoast** » Fri Oct 07, 2011 10:22 am

Bruce Hemming wrote:If anyone hasn't done it yet do make sure that you download the latest version - many improvements and easier usage from the dragable scroll bar on the hotspots to the drag and drop mp3 onto hotspot. FFC continues to get better and easier to use - Big thank you Trausti

Hi Bruce - did your tours get more "wavy" after upgrading on the autorotation? Looking for answers

???

by **VirtualGuide** » Fri Oct 07, 2011 2:49 pm

tours - wavy? if U mean hotspot images, this was reported here: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3151&p=11483#p11483 = try to change autorotator setting to medium...

by **makiedog** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 4:57 pm

Working with FPP and FCC is becoming a giant pain in the behind, seems like every time things are updated, it breaks something else. On top of that, one gets no reply from Trausti for long stretches. This is a big problem when one is up against deadlines. I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and switch to KR or VR Smarty (now that Tommy has ported all his plugins over). Sorry, just have to vent...

Pat L

by **jayjay** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:02 am

Extactly how I felt last week... i didn't think there was another product as good as this but if KR or VR Smarty are on the horizon I may look into it...

by **Bruce Hemming** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:12 am

Well - KRPano (++ for GUI) comes at a price and I couldn't even find how to buy a license for VR Smarty. And are they both perfect and bug free? - just asking.

by **jayjay** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 3:43 pm

To befair this is the better product by far in my opinion but the support lets it down. And when you have nobody to turn to for a product you have paid for is not good really. I had to leave a particular interaction out on one of my jobs and it all boiled down to not getting the help.......

by **thwohojr** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:16 pm

FFC is a great product. It IS a shame that Trausti can't be here more frequently and I'm sure that he wishes that he could be.

I actually enjoy helping out when I can, because even if I can't solve the problem I can still learn something from it... (what not to do). Unfortunately (or fortunately I guess), when I'm out trying to build my business and working on other projects; I don't always get by the forums to see what's happening. I'll try to help when I can... and if you don't see me on the boards just PM me. I KNOW that I'm not the best at this but I am VERY determined.

Woody

by **Morten** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:43 pm

G’day all,

Pat, I think we all feel your pain. Flashificator has been a pretty lonely road. The truth is there are a few easier options we could take. Mine was 3DVista, then there’s Tourweaver, Pano2VR, etc. However, once I started to use FFC + FPP I was never going to go back to the limitations of those types of software.

Unfortunately, most of us are not capable of giving much in the way of technical support. I am pretty reluctant to give technical advice myself as I have experienced firsthand how fickle and complicated this software is. As testament to the software, those who know it well enough to be ‘support’ are often too busy working to be here.

I feel it is important we acknowledge that we are part of a specialised, emerging technology serving a small community. Without our understanding and patience, small niche software like FFC will simply cease to exist. As a result we end up with less choice and fewer innovative products.

This is not to say things could not be better. I would hope that Trausti can acknowledge that support and stability are areas of FFC that need work. I also feel that we can all probably be a little more active here on the forum and give as much support and suggestion as possible. I wonder how many of us visit this forum every day and rarely leave a comment? I know I am one of them.

Regards,

Morten

by **VirtualGuide** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 6:16 am

Must agree with most things Morten said...
I also went through Tourweaver (and I remember Morten in Tourweaver forums

D) I have left it, in spite of a lot of money I have paid for TW

it was very frustrating when U have to pay a lot but poor support is there and/or the soft is too buggy. At that time I could see Immervision VT and I could not believe what could be done. I finally found easypano sw very limiting to me and although it was too much for me (I am not programmer

), I patiently learned to use Immervision PurePLayer, to work with xml... I have spent tens and hundreds of hours on forum. But there was the same problem too - poor support... and it was still Java. Than I found FPP and yes, I had to start to understand new player again

I wonder, how much players I will need to learn to work with?

We are photographers and only few of us are the programmers as well. It is hard for most of us to understand the code, and FFC was and still is big relieve .. Trausti has spend so much time on FPP and FFC forums like nobody. He was the real support although he is not a programmer too, but he used his own money to hire one and help this community by releasing a GUI.
Now, I am sure that after few years of hard work, he needs some time for himself + I feel thay are working on some surprise - it is no secret, that they had an idea to build completely new player. I think that the bugs in FFC are the problem of limiting FPP engine too... According to my opinion, it is no use to put so much time to "never-ending repairing of old house", rather to build new one... I think, that last news from Trausti (new Flash 11 engine) are the great news...
Regards, Igor

by **discocandy** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 11:58 pm

There are people around here willing to give answers for sure.
I made a few tutorials on screenr and I hope to go deeper in FFC soon. But like Trausti, time is limited.
I'll try to explain more of the internals off FFC and how I work on a whole project myself from start to end.
Friends tell me it is not smart to do so because I tell you all my secrects, and my company 360outsource.com will not get jobs when you all find out how everything works

Trausti is around but he needs to earn some money to feed his family.

Regards,

Freddy

by **makiedog** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 10:08 am

Finally, there is a worthy option- VRsmarty, which was released yesterday. By all account, it has features and flexibilities that rival or better FPP, even comes with many of Tommy's plugins. Granted, it doesn't have GUI like FFC, but that's ok for me. I typically only use FFC for positioning elements on the screen and linking panos (that it does really well and fast), after that it's about manual hard coding anyway.

Pat L

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:16 pm

Getting back into my seat and I will be going through posts in the forums, private messages and emails today/night and during the weekend.... hopefully I will be able to get a few things back on track.

I am truly sorry for the past weeks, where I have not been around at all. I have my parents visiting and I'm sure that everyone can agree that spending time with one's parents should be first priority (if one loves them of course). Another issue that has further robbed me of time, is that we haven't been able to find a proper housemaid after the last one got herself fired after burning my kid's hand (hiring a new one tomorrow).

Sorry excuses, but this is life, and since this is a one-man-business, it is impossible to take care of everything all the time, even if it was to keep minimum service only, when there are other things that interfere in the daily routine. What pays my bills are not the software sales, but that doesn't mean I should single out FFC as an area where I don't provide service... lately it has been every single area of my life that has suffered... not that it makes things better for anyone to know that, but that is how it is.

Proggy has been working on the F11 player, building a multi resolution system for it and also a solution for iOS/Android platforms. The work he did for the twitter plugin has pretty much been on hold since F11 was released by Adobe, but I will have him to finish it up so that he can concentrate on the F11 player afterwards. Putting more development work into the current engine is not going to happen (only bug and error fixes after the Twitter version is out), since it is a platform of the past, and F11 is going to replace everything from earlier. We were the first ones to provide a sneak peak at a dedicated panorama F11 engine, the Twitter plugin version of FFC will also be the first panorama engine available with distortable swf plugins that can be interacted with... so regardless how lacking the service has been, FFC is still far ahead of anything else in many fields.

I can not promise anything, but I will do my best in the coming days to work through the mails and messages which I have not been able to attend to. Large parts of this year I have put out 22 hours of work per day, leaving only 2 hours for sleep. That was far from being enough, and I am not getting back onto that track right away... 18-20 hours is probably a more reasonable target for me to stay on.

I'll be back in a few hours, starting with private messages and mails.

Again my apologies for any frustration my absence has caused.

Trausti

by **VirtualGuide** » Sat Oct 22, 2011 1:12 am

Trausti, thank U for everything!
And as for me, go on with F11

Best regards!
Igor

by **makiedog** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 10:02 am

Trausti,
Its been a week since your return, have you caught up yet? My email requests from last month were still unanswered:(

Pat L

by **Nil73** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 11:09 am

I need access to the Updates please... I have sent 4 PM already and an email... Whats going on ??????

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 2:27 am

NOW I am finished with what I had to do in order to survive. I will get into the mails and messages later today (when I have had a good night's sleep... which I haven't had for the past week)... and I can promise that this time I will get to answer all mails and messages that I have not had an earthly chance to respond to in the past weeks/months.

I will start with private messages, then mails relating to FFC and after that I will have a look at the forums ( I am not checking the forums quite yet... only posting this message since I know that I can finally move on.

Sincere apologies for the late reply/response... I really mean it... and now I go to try and get some rest before doing what I have to do for all of you.

Just a few words about the current state of things: Twitter plugin integration has finished, just some testing needed before releasing it. It will enable the use of any kind of interactive/communicative swf plugin in FFC projects. Documentation for it's use will have to be done as well for hand-coders who may need to tweak things personally. Proggy has also been working on the F11 panorama engine, ,making iOS and Android engines to accompany it, and also multi resulation for giga pano productions. I have probably said that before somewhere... if I have, bear over with me not remembering... ... and then the good news to many: iOS and Android output will be made possible for the current FFC build. It will be provided as a separate commercial package, and Proggy will try to make it as versatile as possible... not that CSS/Webkit/OpenGL make thins any simpler or easier or more interesting compared to Flash... quite the contrary... these "future technologies" are an absolute drag in comparison. Old retarded way of doing things... not what I or anyone with even a minimal (or maximum) understanding for programming would consider as a step in the right direction by ANY means. These technologies are crap... plain and simple... programming wise. Limited in so many ways that it is amazing that some people consider these technologies as something to be wished for or as something that "rivals" or "out-performs" Flash. Proggy is positive on these new features, but he is also showing me references from the developers of the technologies, where they are excusing themselves for how bad/limited it is.

Proggy will do things in the best possible way... no shortcuts if at all possible.

When this will be ready, how it will be... we simply don't know yet.

Trausti

by **sapper** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 2:33 am

Great news IOS !! I know this was not at the top of your list buddy but I'm sure this will be a game changer, well done.

sapper

by **VitoDiVita** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 2:39 pm

A question about this iOS/Android feature..Is it going to be built into FFC? Hit Publish and it will pop out a multi-platform tour?

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 9:11 pm

That is the general idea we are preparing for. It should do as much as possible without anything having to be managed manually by the tour creator.

by **eliecer** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 5:09 am

So, when this iOS/Android feature will be available?
We've had android for a while now.

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 5:51 am

The day it is made available.

Any date or guess for a date would not be helpful or realistic to provide at this point.
Adobe will be coming out with a version of Flash for mobile platforms in the new year, providing new and better features and a lot less processing hungry than the current versions of Flash. To get things good for Android platforms, the upcoming version would be the key.

Trausti

by **makiedog** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 11:27 am

Trausti,
I applaud the new initiatives with new features. However, you could have the best product out there but if no customers can get any support for months at a time, it is pretty pointless IMHO. I have already encountered these non-support episodes twice, each one lasting for months. How can future developers have confidence that time invested in your products will be well rewarded? Especially when there are mission critical projects at stakes? While I can empathize with your personal issues, I also think this pattern of non responsiveness makes this platform not suitable for commercial developers.

Unless you can convince us there is a practical plan to deal with these issues, I'm afraid I will start investing my time elsewhere.

Pat L

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 12:12 pm

If I was ensured with an advance-payment that would cover the costs for a development team of 10 great programmers for a couple of years at least, I could go out and hire people for programming and support and even have someone to take care of chit-chat.

Obviously that is not on anyone's agenda. I do what I can when I can. You have had 2 episodes of non-service periods, and that is very regrettable and unfortunate. I can however not make promises of full and stable service, when I am not in control of time. The only thing I can, is to do my best, even when that proves to be too little.

How can users have confidence in time invested being rewarded in the future? Heck... I think that all you need to do, is ask the long time users who have been on this ride from the start. The program has received more than 100 updates, ranging from a lot of bug and error crushing, updates with new features and functionalities, and on the short end of the stick there have been some video tutorials. All of this is but a drop in a bucket, considering that more is needed and people have issues that need resolving faster and better than what I have been able to do. But this is how it is. If you or others can't live with this kind of support (or lack of same), then there is nothing I can do to change that. I simply can't. For months I was doing 22 hours a day, trying to keep everything I am involved in, on track, but it was far from being enough, and it only helped wearing me out.

So... I don't think I have anything I can convince people with, other than the fact that I have been doing my best in this area for almost 4 years, regardless of the tens of thousands I have been putting into the project out of my own pockets which has been needed because this is a niche product with few users, and the price of it has no relation to the actual cost of development. That is dedication on my part, and even though it is not enough to keep everyone happy (not even me), it is something I will continue to do for as long as it is needed, and for as long as I possibly can. I even sold my 2 cars a few months back, in order to keep things above water for a bit longer. If I was to give a promise that there would be complete support all the time, 24/7/365, I would probably have to sell my kids to the highest bidder, and hope the best. That is not going to happen. So all I can promise, is that I will continue to do my best, even if it is not enough for you or others.

Hopefully this will not scare you away, but rather ensure you that the product/support is better than you could expect - given the real life circumstances... and that the pitfalls of no support are not the rule, but rather the unfortunate exceptions.

Trausti

by **makiedog** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 5:23 pm

Trausti,
Now that you're back, could you grant me access to the update section please?

Incidentally, Adobe just killed all future Flash Mobile development today: http://mashable.com/2011/11/09/its-offi ... r-is-dead/
I think you have bet on the wrong horse. If you had started the HTML 5 porting route sooner, perhaps business would have been better.

Pat L

by **Morten** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:03 pm

I wouldn't be so sure about that Pat.

I would guess that the work Adobe has done in reducing CPU drain in Flash 11 may be very important. Given that, and the fact iDevices are now using dual-core processors perhaps we will see better integration for Flash sooner than we think. Like all of us, I'm sure Adobe know the importance of the mobile market. Watch this space....

Regardless, there are some excellent choices for easy iOS conversion like iOSVR. Damir (iOSVR) could not be more helpful and able. Check out his website http://iosvr.com/

I think Trausti and Proggy have more than enough on their plates. Let them focus now on a stable non Beta GUI and we'll all be happy. I for one am grateful for the abilities FFC has as it is.

Regards,

Morten

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 11:06 pm

Business better by providing a less than mediocre panorama solution

I am sure you are right... the world's population is known for going for crap (McDonalds comes to mind).

On the other hand, smart phones are getting much smarter, and there really won't be any need for some specially tailored mobile version development in the future. Adobe must have their valid reasons for taking this step.
The future is just around the corner: http://www.technewsworld.com/story/73722.html

Please check your private message box for update info.

Thanks for your understanding Morten... I agree that Adobe must know what they are doing... if they are betting on a lame horse (html) as the future thing to replace Flash, they must have gone completely mad, since it can not get as good or flexible as Flash.

Proggy is working on some of the reported issues in FFC, and when those have been ironed out, a new release will be made available. I hope that the Twitter feature will also be included in it.

Trausti

by **Damir** » Fri Nov 18, 2011 8:25 am

Hey guys,

Just a thought, I believe FFC is the best feature packed software gui available on the market, it has enabled us to make a living, wow our clients and has cut down on long hours of coding. The things that can be done in FFC would be near impossible to replicate in just pure hard coding, not to mention that most FFC users aren't interested and have no intention of ever learning code. I hear someone mentioning they might start using software that is just raw code over FFC because there is no support or their needs haven't been attended to... Even just bringing those kinds of comments up here gives me the shivers - are we really comparing apples and oranges now..... well if you're in to coding then by all means but for the other 99.9% of FFC users who aren't programmers the few problems that FFC has the positives far outweigh its limitations.

For those who have bought this amazing software for the unbelievable low price of only 55 Euro and complain that it can't do something or that Trausti isn't there 24/7 to answer questions you need to understand that while there are some issues Trausti has never claimed that this version of FFC is bulletproof, What else in the industry could you buy for 55 bucks that will enable you to do the same job? Nothing out there would even come close, As a matter of fact most software companies who run a profitable business have support tickets which you can buy so that a pro can answer your questions while here at FFC we get that for free.

Morten makes a great point about trying numerous other softwares and sticking with FFC, being an award winning internationally acclaimed photographer who runs one of the most respected VR businesses in our industry I would take Mortens comments on board.

In one of the recent projects that Terry from Regal360 was working on FFC produced over 12,000 lines of code in the final project XML file, the tour was stunning that had even the most advanced coders heads spinning, there simply is no way that anyone in their right mind could sit there looking at raw code and come up with that kind of magic, nor could they actually charge for the time it would take to produce 12,000 lines of code, but with FFC it not only is possible to do that, but you can do that without even seeing one single line of code and any non coder with a bit of imagination can do it.

I suggest for those who have reached boiling point and have come to the end of your ability or have reached FFC's limits or have as someone put it ( mission critical projects at stakes?) it might be time to think about putting business before ego and pay a programmer to do what you can't do yourself instead of wasting valuable time performing code surgery and pulling your hair out. Outsourcing will help you get your project done, meet deadlines and most importantly it will enable you to get on with running your business.

But leaving FFC for a CODE based software that has no GUI is just unrealistic in MHO.

Sorry to vent some here guys, I just really feel for Trausti and I think that the gift he has given us and the personal investment and time he has and continues to put in to help should be commended.

Ps/ We do offer programming services for virtual tours, whatever you can think of we can do it, if you do want to put your business first and get more work done you are not alone, feel free to contact us we would be glad to help.

Trausti.... nothing but RESPECT for you my brother, love your work mate and wish you and FFC the success and respect you deserve.

by **sairart** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 6:09 pm

Listen to this guy! Here is a man talking. I agree every of your word Damir, 110%. Here most of us are for FFC not for a joy of coding.

Cheers Damir! Cheers Trausti!

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:37 am

First of all I would like to offer my sincere apologies for not having been around for over a month. My 21 year old daughter from Denmark came on a visit in the beginning of December, and left a couple of days ago. I had not seen her since she was 10 years old, and decided to devote all available time with her during her stay, and that is what I did.

Now I am back, and there is obviously a lot of things I need to catch up on... first of all I will check on private messages and mails, and respond to those as needed... how much and how fast I can get done is yet to be seen, but please don't expect any miracles.... I simply have to try my best, and hope it will be enough.

Again, consider accepting my apologies... this is how it can go in a "one man operation". At least I am very happy for having finally had some time with my daughter... that has really caused a life changing effect on me on so many fronts.

Trausti

by **liaock** » Sat Jan 21, 2012 6:59 pm

Trausti ...
Hope that i had a good times ... This is priceless !!
Liao

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 11:33 am

Please bear over with me, but I will be away for the next couple of days on a pano project shooting at a Pisco , and during this time I will most likely not have any access to internet. This means that during this time, no service will be available from me.

Trausti

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 3:24 pm

Change of plans... it will be Wednesday - Friday.

by **Trausti Hraunfjord** » Wed Nov 28, 2012 8:47 am

A day in hell once again... the hard disk with the Win8 installation crapped out on me and is dead as a duck. This means that I have to install everything again and that is going to take me a week as an absolute minimum.

... Who ever it was that said life had become simpler and easier since the introduction of personal computers, should be locked up in an asylum for the criminally insane!

Expect me to be very hard to reach in the coming days, although I will try to do some good.

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