Upgrade of the Pink firmware

[Goran (Sweden)]

I have a PINK with Rev 1.0 and tried to get an update to V1.1 with no success.
Below are the emails with respond from Netburner.com and Parallax support.
Since I not happy with the responce I attached the email here for any PINK user
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from Göran Blom <gb@gblom.se (mailto:gb@gblom.se)>
to·sales@netburner.com (mailto:tillsales@netburner.com)
12 januari 2009 19:41
Subject:Parallax PINK
Hi,
I bought a PINK module from a Parallax distributor in Sweden.
After testing the SEND email, I realize the smtp password option is not included in the firmware version I got with my PINK (v1.0)
It seems I need V1.1
Now I tried to locate the file on your website to be able to upgrade my PINK. Could not find it.
I have downloaded the Autoupdate program, But where to find the firmware file?
Hope you can assist on this
Regards/Goran Blom, Sweden
__________________________________________________ _______

from NetBurner Sales <sales@netburner.com (mailto:sales@netburner.com)>
To gb@gblom.se12 (mailto:gb@gblom.se12) januari 2009 20:50
NetBurner Sales #133083] Parallax PINK
Hello Göran,
We do supply the hardware for PINK, but the application is handled by
Parallax directly. If you contact them they should be able to send you
the file and update instructions.

__________________________________________________ ________
from Joshua Donelson <jdonelson@parallax.com (mailto:jdonelson@parallax.com)>
to·Göran Blom <gb@gblom.se (mailto:gb@gblom.se)>
12 januari 2009 22:50
RE: PINK firmware
Göran,
In regards to the firmware; that would need to be sent to Parallax Inc. for reprogramming.
Unfortunately since it is a 3rd party module we can not provide the firmware file and connection.
Do you have an account with Parallax Inc? In the sake of quickness, is it possible to return your
module to the distributor and have them do the return with us? You would need to check to see if
they have the newest version of firmware; our apologies we thought all those modules were updated.
Respectfully,
Joshua Donelson
Parallax Inc.
www.parallax.com (http://www.parallax.com/)
__________________________________________________ _________

from Göran Blom <gb@gblom.se (mailto:gb@gblom.se)>
to Joshua Donelson <jdonelson@parallax.com (mailto:jdonelson@parallax.com)>
12 januari 2009 23:07
Re: PINK firmware
Hi,
I have to say this is not the answer what I expected from you.
Why do you include the file "Autoupdate.exe" with the CD that came with the unit?
Byuing direct from netburner.com it seems easy to get support for upgrades!!! just download the file and use "autoupdate"

Sending the device, first to the distributor and then he send to US, (this will take weeks) terrible way of support which
I not going to do, rather throw it in the bin and look for a replacement with proper support.

We are talking of a update file here, which should be easily emailed. Are we talking year 2009.

Since I have a lot of products developed with Parallax stuff, hearing this I sincerely have to consider using another supplier in the future.

Regards/TVB Electronics
Goran Blom
__________________________________________________ ___________

from Joshua Donelson <jdonelson@parallax.com (mailto:jdonelson@parallax.com)>
to Göran Blom <gb@gblom.se (mailto:gb@gblom.se)>
12 januari 2009 23:23
RE: PINK firmware
Göran,
I’m sorry to hear that this update seems so complicated; but again it’s not our software to distribute;
so we are held to the agreement with the display manufacturer. Does the distributor have an updated
module? We tried to get all those back, but some still seemed to make it to the store shelves.
Respectfully,
Joshua Donelson
Parallax Inc.
www.parallax.com (http://www.parallax.com/)

[Paul Baker]

Sorry Goran, but the only way to get an update is to ship it back to Parallax.

<incorrect information deleted, sorry for inadvertantly disseminating falsehoods>

·Hopefully this won't turn you away from buying Parallax's products in the future since this issue is pretty much unique to the single product.

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Paul Baker (mailto:pbaker@parallax.com)


Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 1/13/2009 9:26:26 PM GMT

[dMajo]

Sorry Paul,

but if my english is good enough I understood that there is a contract between Parallax and Netburner. Why is Netburner than suggesting Goran to obtain the file from Parallax? Are they aware of the contract?

Regards

[sylvie369]

dMajo said...
Sorry Paul,

but if my english is good enough I understood that there is a contract between Parallax and Netburner. Why is Netburner than suggesting Goran to obtain the file from Parallax? Are they aware of the contract?

Regards


Netburner _sales_ is suggesting that he obtain the file from Parallax. I wouldn't expect sales people to know what's going on.

I find nothing surprising about either company's response, though I certainly sympathize with the original poster re. his issue.

[Brian Carpenter]

i had 60 of these units and each one had to go back to parallax for update

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It's Only A Stupid Question If You Have Not Googled It First!!

[Chris Savage]

Hello everyone,

Sorry for the confusion. Let me see if I can clear things up for everyone on this issue. The PINK Module is really just an SB70 development module from NetBurner with our own custom firmware on it. We worked with NetBurner to develop the firmware for the module so we could replace the Red-I web server module we used to carry. Now, the firmware is technically ours, which is why NetBurner would not be able to distribute it.

It is up to us to either give out the firmware or not. By distributing the firmware we allow anyone out there to essentially make clones of the PINK module. There would be no reason to purchase them from us if you could make your own. This is the same concept with the BASIC Stamps. Customers don’t go to Microchip for firmware for the BASIC Stamp. If they had it, they could buy inexpensive PIC microcontrollers and make their own. The firmware is proprietary.

When NetBurner sells the SB70, it is a development module and customers typically have to write their own firmware for it. This is the difference. When we get the modules from NetBurner they come as a development module and we program the firmware into them. This is why the utility CD is included which has the AutoUpdate program on it. It just happens to be on the same CD as the IPSETUP program which is required.

If a customer ordered some interpreter chips from us years ago and the firmware had since been upgraded, we would not send them new firmware. We would have the chips sent in for reprogramming. Tech Support was correct in that to have your firmware updated you must send your module in. They are not allowed to send the firmware outside the company. I apologize if this is an inconvenience. Take care.

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Chris Savage
Parallax Engineering

[Goran (Sweden)]

Chris

Before order the PINK I read about it on your website.

Then I ordered from an authorised dealer in Sweden.(Lawicel AB) which I normally order from (always good support/ fast delivery)

I expected I would receive the same as on your webstore. (since I ordered it from an authorised dealer)

Looking at Lawicels website it seems they still have PINK with V1.0

I assumed that you would track that your dealers do not stock different units than you have on your own webstore. (i.e older versions)

Sending units back from Sweden is both very timeconsuming and costly.

Regards/Goran

[Paul Baker]

Sorry it seems I mistated the situation, serves me right for trying to state things from my imperfect memory when I'm no longer internal to the organization and able to verify it. My appologies, I'll be more careful in the future.

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Paul Baker (mailto:pbaker@parallax.com)


Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 1/13/2009 9:33:26 PM GMT

[sylvie369]

Paul Baker said...
Sorry it seems I mistated the situation, serves me right for trying to state things from my imperfect memory when I'm no longer internal to the organization and able to verify it. My appologies, I'll be more careful in the future.


I'm utterly shocked to read something false on the internet. http://forums.parallax.com/images/smilies/smilewinkgrin.gif

[Paul Baker]

Not many come with apologies though :).

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Paul Baker (mailto:pbaker@parallax.com)

[sylvie369]

Paul Baker said...
Not many come with apologies though :).


As I always say, everyone makes mistakes: only the real adults admit to them.

Sadly, it's pretty rare.

[Chris Savage]

Goran,

We do not track the stock of distributors…had the firmware upgrade been due to a bug or error on our part we would have contacted various distributors to get the modules replaced. We do not do this for feature upgrades, which is what that upgrade was for. For example, if you buy a Car at a dealership and later in the year that same model comes with an upgraded stereo, the dealer does not recall the cars to upgrade the system. They’re simply improving the value of what they’re currently selling, as do we occasionally make changes to our products to improve them. My point is you did not get a defective module. We’ve been very generous in our commitment to help our customers and we’ve offered to have the module upgraded. There are limited options for doing so. It may be possible to exchange it with your distributor for a current unit. That would probably depend on when you purchased it though. Aside of that you would have to send the module to us for the upgrade. I hope this helps. Take care.

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Chris Savage
Parallax Engineering