I would say carry it and offer it to all X-Carve owners.
Dave
If you can off the same 25% discount on the desktop version that you offer on the pro version that would be about an $85 dollar savings off the $350 list price. I would have immediately purchased the software if the cost was $265 instead of $350
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That right there, I would have grabbed it with my unit right to begin with.
I say carry it and echo everything that others have said.
The only thing I wanted to bring up is that I think there should be some possibility to purchase v-carve with the discount at a later date (x-carve customer gets a coupon code that is tied to their inventables account for use at a future date). Being a complete noob to the entire process of a CNC router (which I suspect is a large portion of the x-carve purchasers) I wasnāt willing to throw down all the money for v-carve at the time I purchased my x-carve. However, now that I know more about how to use the machine and how much I like it, I would jump all over a discounted license of v-carve desktop/pro/aspire.
Just a thought.
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Vectric has restrictions on how it can be sold. We can only discount it as part of a machine purchase. If your order has not shipped yet, we can add it to your order. If your order has recently shipped, you can call customer service to ask about possible further options. I do not want to define ārecently shippedā on the forum.
I was searching for a Vectric coupon yesterday to no availā¦but I did see a thread on what looked to be a vinyl cutter forum, and while the post was oldā¦it indicated that anyone that owned one of those specific brand machines had access to a discount.
Wonder if they killed that, or just arenāt playing ball with Inventables?
Based on the interest level here and the promotion they get on the forums, youād think their partner manager would be looking to do something for people who wanted to get and learn their machines before shelling out hundreds of dollars of software.
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JUst waiting here for the Xcarve to start shipping. But I say carry it.I am embarking on the whole CNC experience for therapy and Pleasure .V carve desktop seems a no brainer as far as my next step forward
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Carry it please! Iām currently on the fence about ordering a unit and having the lower price of desktop software could push me over the edge.
I exchanged a few emails with the people at Vectric. They explained to me that they do not offer any discounts on their software and if Inventables is offering a discount then Inventables is making up the difference themselves (Thank you Inventables!).
But they did say that if anyone wants to just get their feet wet with the Vectric software they can purchase the Cut2D desktop and decide for themselves if they like the functionality offered. Then if you want to do 2.5 dimension projects (and all the other cool stuff that Vcarve does) then just upgrade for $200 to Vcarve Desktop.
Cut 2D desktop $149
Vcarve Desktop $349 ($200 Upgrade from Cut 2D)
Vcarve Pro $699 ($350 upgrade from desktop)
So I guess it is a business decision for Inventables to decide if bundling the desktop version of Vcarve with the X-carve will sell more X-Carves Since the discount for the less expensive software would be less, It may be to Inventables advantage to bundle the desktop version with the 500x500 size and the Pro version with the 1000x1000 size.
However it works out, even without a discount I think the Vectric software is certainly worth looking at if you have an X-Carve.
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Honest question: Why would I want this instead of MeshCAM, which is $100 less?
I asked myself that same question, I downloaded the Meshcam software first and was very impressed with how easy it was to create toolpaths for very complex 2.5D objects. If you already have a good vector design program and donāt need to do any lettering with Vbits (sign making) then Meshcam is a great solution.
But when I was honest with myself about how I wanted my workstream to go, I realized that I was a bit lazy and having the design and toolpath creation all in one program with a common user interface was the easiest way for me to work.
That is why I like Easel so much, combining design and toolpath creation in one easy to use program has a lot to offer.
So the bottom line for me was it was worth the extra $100 dollars to be able to do the design in the same program. Plus I am really getting my moneyās worth out of the vbit lettering. It is so much faster and in my opinions looks much better than constant depth cuts with a small endmill (and I think it is impossible to break a vbit).
Just my opinion.
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OK, thanks. I have no need for v-bit stuff, at least in the projects that would pay the bills. 
Tell me more about this bill paying you speak of. So far all this is on the money pit side of the ledger for me.
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I actually own and use both. I started with MeshCAM, and for machining solid models, it is darn hard to beat. The toolpathing is very easy to work out, it posts GRBL-compatible files easily (remove the M6 command from the header and youāre good to go) and it handles double-sided machining and supports automatically. Itās my go-to for machining solids from models.
V-carve is my go-to for signs and other stuff, since it allows design within the software. Also, V-carved signs just look awesome!
Honestly, Iām glad I bought both.
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In case you want to try, test or compare features for yourself, it is worth mentioning that there is a free trial version of VCarve available if you want to give it a go. VCarve Pro Free Trial | Vectric
The free trial includes a set of designs that you can tinker with and cut on your X-Carve to try the whole process and see the results of specific toolpath strategies. The CAD side is also fully featured, but you canāt cut your own designs with the trial (for obvious reasons). It is not time limited or save disabled, though, so if you do go ahead and buy a full copy later, you will be able to make use of anything you previously created.
I must declare a vested interest - as I work for Vectric - but I genuinely hope this is helpful information for some.
Cheers, E
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Edward, I bought Vcarve with my Xcarve and still am amazed at what this program can do. I just havenāt mastered it yet. Iāve been looking at the training videos and try to remember different things to do. Iām most confused with using Vbits and setting the correct cutting depth, I guess before itās all over Iāll have lots of scrap wood for the fire pit.
Thanks for a great program.
Dave
I think the point of a business is to make money, so you should offer it if you can sell it for more than you buy it forā¦
BUTā¦
I think the point of being a āmakerā is to make thingsā¦If I wanted to drop $700 on software, I would just buy the items or employ someone here to make the items I wanted.
I donāt mind āpayingā for items or technology, but with the multitude of assets that are available for free, then why ābuyā anything? JUST MAKE IT!!! This includes software. I can do 90% of what I want to do with simple Aarduino motor control codeā¦ but that is just the BAREST of minimums of technology that is availableā¦ there are millions of people that have a dream and many of them are willing to share those dreams with the worldā¦ we call their dreams ātechnology!!!ā
The open-source technology ultimately WILL win! Why?? because it is being done by people with a passion to do it!
the short answer is I doubt I will be buying ANY software. I will be using what is available and helping, where I can, to add my āpassionā to itās development.
Long live Linux. Long Live open-source. Long live what Ayn Rand called the āmen of the mind!!ā
Yeah, you probably make your own end mills and your own electricity and the generator to make that electricity and the gas to make the generator run and the drill to get the crude oil out of the ground and the refinery that produces the gas.
Most of us donāt have time to make everything ourselves, so we buy some of it so we can have fun making some of it instead of spending our entire lives making everything.
On a serious note though.
It makes sense to buy the tools you want or need to do a job. Everyone canāt be the expert in every field
I donāt mind paying for someone elseās work. It gives me a point source for resolving problems and so far most of the software companies I deal with have gone out of their way to help me be successful in my āmakingā projects.
I donāt want to depend on that guy from who knows where in the world that developed a program that may have a problem and hope that he comes back from vacation or has a spare moment to look into the problem.
I was a software engineer for 35 years and I can make a computer do anything it can do, but I value my time and have other things I would like to pursue, so Iām pleased to be able to buy something that meets my needs.
Just my opinion.
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Sorry I offended you, Larry. What did I say that messed up your shorts? My vote was for them to offer the software, not get rid of it; Iām just going to delay the purchase until I prove to myself that I need itā¦
For what it maters, I probably CAN do what you ask, but I wonder why Iād drill for crude oil when ethanol production is MUCH easier!! (and comes with a bio-chemical benefit 
!!!)
I guess we all have different goals, but then again, I NEVER said anyone else should be forced to live MY way, but that concept is difficult for AmeŃikans to grasp nowadaysā¦ So if you wanna buy software, I say: āGO FOR IT!!ā I apologize for not fitting into your moldā¦ but āself-relianceā is one of those traits I find rather importantā¦
'Cause getting enough feedstock for non-cellulosic ethanol production takes more energy than it returns? lol