CEL Robox 3D Printer

Once again, they have their work cut out for them.

Quite the daunting task. But, they've done it before.

I'm amazed they have four to give away.

-Steve

Definitely, I can't imagine what it's like to have to choose amongst all those applications.

I hope you have plenty of Nails, with well over 200 applications, it may be a week or more of waiting

Nail biting. Awaiting eagerly...

Thank you to all who applied; we will be reviewing the applications quite closely and will hopefully have a result as soon as possible.

Please note: we judge applications on their quality, and this standard will be applied in this instance.  No one is excluded from consideration unless they have been previously selected for a RoadTest and not produced a review.

In no way was my post intended as an attack, although I fear it has been taken that way. I know there is more to the community than road tests but I was referring particularly to road tests, as that's where the discussion started.

It's difficult to strike a balance between always having the same people review each time, and encouraging newer members to get involved. From what I have seen and as I mentioned previously, I feel Element 14 is generally doing a good job choosing successful applicants.

All the best to everyone for this road test.

Wow, I will get one of those one day . (^.^)/'''/

Jeremy

"... limiting certain road tests to higher levels, although this runs the risk of turning the community into an "old boys' club"

That's a little unfair on the "old girls"

If the community was just about Road Tests your comment may have some merit, but you'll find that many of the more active people provide other support in the community, and haven't just got points for videos, or blogs.

Without seeing all the applications its hard to know what criteria is used. Some people may think their idea is brilliant, but in the eyes of those making the decisions, it may be similar to someone else, or they can't see the vision the person has when they penned it.

As well as the product, there is a financial cost of freight and duty being paid, so anyone that gets a product to test should be thankful, regardless of how many applications they make.

As we know those that get selected are happy, and those that don't are disappointed ... you'll never please everyone.

Since the applications have closed now the count is 226, so good luck to 4 ... you can be sure the community is expecting a good review.

Mark

Hi Kas,

There seems to be a lot of negativity, I understand there are some issues that in all realism cannot be resolved and we need to accept the circumstances. All the negativity does not hold to the spirit of the road test and although I have done a couple of road tests there have been one at least I felt gutted for not getting. But that all depends on the approach to the test but more importantly is to move on and congradulate those that get it and create the road test review or complete the project to the best of their ability.

There is a lot of assumptions and it is important that if you know of individuals that are actually duplicating or manipulating then instaed of assuming through a discussion, please report them. I think their will be a number of checksum in place to ensure the best possible chance of success of the program.

I hold to doing my best possible application and for a couple of cases has worked. Obviously the one I really wanted felt hard as I thought it was a good application but must have missed the mark somewhere and I am sure I will try my best the next time.

This is a great opportunity for this one and I also do hope for the best. Good Luck with you applicatoin in the meantime. It is not worth posting disatifaction on a roadtest itself.

Malcolm

the item should go to the person who put in a road test idea that is in line with what the outfit/manufacturer of the product wont s.

as in anyone

You comment of a "old boys club" I think is an inaccurate one. I don't think it is right for people to feel they deserve to join a site and from day one be getting the heavy hitting prizes. There a lot of smaller road tests that they can take part in if they are truly here for the community and to be a participating member. If it is only the big prizes bringing people in then they are not really part of the community they are just here for the prize and I may be wrong but they are people who will not really be helping the community grow but potentially chasing valued members away due to the sense of lack of acknowledgment of their long term commitment to the community..

Besides, the concept of this printer is ease of use and operation. Bringing 3D printing to the more novice user is a great concept.

When computers were first introduced, not everyone could use them. Now, almost everyone from children to seniors use them every day.

Why can't 3D printing technology follow the same path.

-Steve

The issue is, there is not a correct style. Your style may be different from mine, mine may be different from Michael's. When it's all said and done, E14 and the vendor. Have the final say.

-Steve

that wont help at all if they look at one that is not in the correct style they will be wrong.

not everyone who does the road test will know how to write in the correct style or will have been to university or a polytechnic as there are different ways that different type of papers are done, that's why there needs to be a paper done so people know how to do it correctly

This is a tough one. I think Element14 generally does a pretty good job at selecting participants for road tests and challenges, striking a good balance between new members and old. Sure there are some instances where no review is produced or the quality is low, but my experience is that the success rate, while being less than 100%, is still pretty high.

I've noticed some of the more recent road tests have been fairly widely promoted. This means a lot of the applicants are actually new members, and no doubt part of the purpose of the road test is to grow the community.

I'd be in favour of limiting certain road tests to higher levels, although this runs the risk of turning the community into an "old boys' club". The fairness and impartiality of reviews also needs to be maintained.

Just look at the old road test reviews. That's basically what you're asking for.

if you wont testers to do good reviews some one should do a white paper on how to do it as not everyone knows how to right in the correct format

Hello Mark,

I hear what you're saying but I am inclined to disagree about the advertising side, lame or bad advertising can and often does cause people to shy away from products. As to working on a good proposal, you have to remember as someone who has done reviews (I'm sure you feel the same way) you can come up with an awesome sounding proposal but it will either be unrealistic, take longer than two months or is overly technical that few will bother reading it. There are a good deal of articles here which sound good but at 2500+ few people will bother reading. If I look at the number of views blogs I have written have received I can definitely see these trends. I know try keep my posts to 1500 - 2000 words and not to long on the scroll bar either as that is also an issue for people. While this may sound good for a sponsor it does little to further the usefulness of Element14.

Anyways after spending 2-3 weeks writing up a proposal a few times with it going seemingly nowhere I now write short to the point proposals that will hopefully capture the imaginations of the Element14 audience as well as show off the product for the sponsor. I just can't justify spending hours and hours on a proposal that I know full well I can do only to be overlooked for sometimes less interesting or overly long reviews.

Kas

Kas

We've had a discussion around this very point a while ago (within the TM group).

The conclusion was that there was no easy solution, and that many of the applications have to be taken at face value.

Members can easily jump from zero to 3 or 4 without adding much to the community, so the zero criteria wouldn't help.

While you're right that some produce poor reviews, or none, but its the members who can put peer pressure on them to ask why, or suggest they have not really provided a good review, and I've seen some where this has happened.

Some of the Road Tests have put criteria on what they want in the review, and I would strongly encourage this, but its in the hands of the supplier.

We all know that any advertising is better than no advertising, so good or bad it sometimes doesn't translate into more sales.

All I can suggest is work on the applications, so that yours is better than the others, and you'll find it will translate into results.

Mark

that makes sense

I am a cnc person so when stuff comes up for road tests I only put in for what I know I can work with or use to make my cnc equipment better or disability equipment that I make.