saintstryfe

I'm a dedicated laser engraver, I have a small business making laser engraved goods, and one of my two machines is from xTool - the M1, their older enclosed diode machine with the blade for vinyl. Xtool is a very good company - they've done a ton of good development - in the two or so years or so it's been around, XCS has gone from a limited program to a fantastic tool. They've also been committed to the Mac- releasing M-series compatible tools as soon as they could. And they havent' really stopped developing, going from open gantry-style machines with manual focus to an automated machine like the P2. I would like to note a few things - one, the size thing-  well if you want to have a laser etcher/cutter that can do things of any real size, they need to be big enough. Also compared to machines of similar power to the P2, it is actually quite compact. There are small units - for instance, xTool's F1, or smaller gantry-style units like Ortur's selections, but they have significant short comings in terms of work area and the ease of smoke removal. And as for smoke removal, there's ways of handling it. Personally, both machines are just connected to the outside by short tubes going to window vents, like you'd use for portable air conditioners. Cost is only the real negative with this unit, though it's incredibly powerful. If I could afford it, I would. 

I was a 4 year employee of Simply Mac. I was let go last year after being accused of theft by someone one or two rungs from the top of the company, with no proof. They treated me like an absolute dog.

They fired my boss for wanting to close in those very early days of the pandemic, when we had a very early case of COVID and no protocols were established. They berated and insulted her to the point of her being let go for insubordination, a store manager. I picked up the pieces and through two failed store leaders.

I managed to keep it going and I was let go for one troublesome count. At the same time a half dozen other 4+ year vets from a bunch of stores were also let go for minor issues. This company deserved to fail terribly.

I can also confirm that one store had a service leader who was abusive to female customers and coworkers to the point he was let go despite him being the only management the store had. 

I'm so so so sorry to the people who are being shafted - but the company never planned for how to survive. They tried expanding during an incredibly unreasonable time, and used PPP funds to line pockets rather than sure up business. Good riddance to the company.

vukasika said:

No one wants this outdated look anymore.  Zero interest in paying Apple prices for a 2012 design.

If they're there, they'll sell. I sell Macs at an AASP and plenty of people want the iMac. Our channel has been dry as all get out and I have had to beg borrow and barter to get them, because of WSFH and a lot of people's older 2009-2011 iMacs starting to age out. Older folks like the large screens on the 27", more traditional users like them, and they have larger storage drives. 

Let's put it this way. Some random schmo from Newsmax says "Obama is tracking us via microwave ovens" is fake news - it's objectively false, zero proof given. If 45 repeats the claim he read and claims Obama is tracking HIM via microwave ovens, then that's news, because a person of consequence is repeating a false news story.