Disable splash screen?

[Kevin]

I completley understand also. However, there is no reason you cant offer a pay version for those of us that prefer not to have a splash screen. You could even check the names to verify that a LCD was purchased from CF.

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[gsmayes]

"Sorry... it stays. The price you pay for the software being free" is a pretty lame response. I suspect that the reason the software is available free online is so that crystalfontz doesn't have to pay for the added expense of producing and shipping a software CD with every LCD sold. From what I understand, and correct me if I'm wrong, but crystal control was developed specifically for the crystalfontz displays and probably won't even work with other displays. So, please don't act like your doing your customer's (who fork over $50 to $100 to buy an LCD) a "service" by developing and providing free software to run the products they purchased. I'm not trying to be mean or flame you, and I plan on purchasing an LCD in the near future, but come on. Crystal control being free is the equivalent of Nvidia offering their video drivers for free, it's expected. As such, crystalfontz should try to cater to their customers by providing features that they demand and I think that you do make an effort to do that. From this thread, it's clear that the 'disable splash screen' option is something your customer’s want, so why not give it to them?

 

[JimK]

Hopefully they'll come up with an elegant solution, maybe pay software, a disable feature for registered buyers, etc.

Until then, my problem of potentially blocking dialog boxes on boot up is solved by selecting the delayed start.

 

[CF Tech]

I am going to jump in here and state a couple of facts:

1) We do not plan to charge for CC--ever.

Our goal is to sell LCDs. If CC can help us do that (by making the LCDs more useful to a wider audience) then it has succeded. I can think on no larger hassle and no quicker way to lose money than to attempt to charge for software.

CC came about simply because we wanted people to have access to some LCD software that is stable and useful and easy to install. It was never meant to be an end-all, do-all. It does only support Crystalfontz serial LCDs, but it also supports any HD44780 style parallel LCD. Full tech support is offered in the forum if you have a serial display. You can post, and will probably get an answer (perhaps from another user), but there is no official tech suport for the parallel displays.

We do have an ulterior motive in providing CC, and that is reducing the need for tech support. To that end CC is required to be easy to install and must be stable. This is not exatcly a bad thing however for every tech support issue we avoid, there is one more customer who does not have to be frustrated.

CC did cost (OK, is costing) a good amount of money to develop, and MWP is paid to man the CC forum.

2) CC is actually quite new in the history of LCD software. For years we have sold LCDs without any "official" software. Even now some people choose to use software other than CC.

3) CC is not done. There is more to come. We have not even gotten to 1.0 yet. Post your suggestions in the Requested Features for CrystalControl thread (after reading it to see make sure they are not already on the list please), and then wait. We will do our best to meet any reasonable feature requests.

4) I do not know what we will do with the splash screen. We may leave it there, make it optional, or take it away. Maybe make it optional only is a CF serial display is selected. Lots of options. We will come up with something. In any case, it is probably going to stay exactly as it is through the 0.x series and in 1.0.

We hope you like CC, and we hope it is useful to you.

 

[Zaphold]

Hello all,
While I would agree with the notion of a movable splash screen or one that is not dead center, possibly obstructing important system stuff, that is about as far as it goes.
Really, I paid 60 sum odd bucks for a beautiful LCD screen with install kit, I also got free software and free teck support (which gets answered quickly i might add, great job guys!!!). So why are some people never satified?
As far as paying 10 bucks for software with no splash screen, I know it's not a lot of money but I can think of about 3000 things i could do better with 10 bucks. So if your interested please send me $10 and if you are in reasonable driving distance from my home, I will come to your house and distract you while your booting your computer. I know what your saying, "It's not a permanent fix!!!." Well I have that too. A little black electrical tape strategically placed on your monitor should do the trick(also works great for blinking VCR's). I will supply the tape and place it for you. I even accept Paypal.
This does prove an interesting point however. The constant bombardment of advertisements we are made to endure day in and day out has driven many of us to want to pay to get rid of even the most trivial.
Keep up the good work CC and CF.

Chow
Zaphod Beeblebrox

 

[TacoMan]

heh... CF's ultimate advertisment would probably be the non-removable logo they have on their mouning bracket.. i say there shold be a litle serial number on the back of those that take off the splash screen.. .. im joking..

 

[JimK]

Maybe make it optional only is a CF serial display is selected.

That is the best solution I have heard from anyone so far. If this is possible, I wholeheartedly endorse the idea. Not that my endorsement means a hill o' beans, but still, you can put it on the poster.

 

[Kevin]

That is the best solution I have heard from anyone so far. If this is possible, I wholeheartedly endorse the idea. Not that my endorsement means a hill o' beans, but still, you can put it on the poster.

I totally agree !