Final pydwf release due to new Digilent mandatory-account policy

[Guest]

Hi all,

I just released version 1.1.19 of pydwf, the Python binding for DWF.

The bad news is that this will probably be the last release of pydwf ever. Digilent decided to put the download of Waveforms and the associated library behind an account wall, and to make an account you have to agree with Terms and Conditions that are pretty gross, and you need to enter personally identifiable data.

I think that is utterly unacceptable for software that controls a box that you already bought and paid for. It is also a steep turn away from customer-friendliness: a year ago, you could just download the software with a direct link. Then came the email confirmation. Now, this. I wonder what will be next.

I fully realize that this kind of nonsense is pervasive in how tech companies conduct themselves these days. I cannot change that; but I will not spend my free time providing added value for a company that adopts these kinds of practices.

You can read here the notice I put on the latest pydwf docs: link

All this means I'm turning my back on Digilent. I will no longer recommend their devices to my day-job customers. I will also not participate in the user forum anymore, other than in this thread and in this thread that asks Digilent to explain why they think this new policy is a good idea for them. For their customers, it sucks; that much is clear.

All this is reversible if Digilent changes course, but the chances of that happening are slim to none. They sadly seem to have lost their engineering roots with the acquisition by National Instruments.

[attila]

Hi @reddish

I'm sorry to hear that.

To avoid registration, the direct release links can be found under the Previous Versions and the latest beta version can be downloaded from:

 

[Guest]

Hi,

In another thread it was brought to my attention that there actually is a page on the Digilent website that has a direct link to the current version of the Waveforms software that doesn't require a login (@Attila also mentioned that in his post above, but there I missed it). It is, oddly, on the Previous Versions page, that can also be reached from the Waveforms software download page via the "Previous versions" link.

The availability of the current version from the "previous versions" page appears the be a recent addition, according the Internet Archive wayback machine.

This is good. It actually goes a long way towards reversing my decision to stop development and support for pydwf.

Still, there are two things that need to happen for me to resume work on pydwf:

• The link called "Previous Versions" on the Waveforms software download page should be fixed to read "Current and Previous versions", or perhaps "Direct downloads". This seems like a no-brainer, because the "previous versions" link text is just wrong.
• Digilent needs to unreservedly commit to keep providing a direct-download link (i.e., a link that doesn't require a login) of all the software needed to use its DWF devices on its website in the future. Otherwise, we might end up having this same discussion all over again later on, which I am really not prepared to do.

Is Digilent willing to do that?

Edited October 20, 2023 by reddish

[Guest]

No answer, and the hopelessly clueless responses by your marketing and web guys in the other thread tell me that there is no way Digilent will do the right thing here.

So, that's the nail in the coffin for pydwf. I will close down my account now here as well.

It was fun while it lasted.

[Empower]

@attila losing pydwf is a major blow to Digilent.  This library was our only method of communication with compatible Diligent devices.

[attila]

Hi @Empower

Unfortunately, this project was not created by Digilent, but I hope we can solve its maintenance.