Work around for firmware/configuration update error "command not recognized"
I spent more than an hour attempting to update my Drop Shift keyboard. I'm not sure what has changed, but I was not able to do it entirely from the Drop website as I had previously done. I have most of the keys configured how I would like, but the default LED function was a very bright, distracting, rainbow wave going across the keyboard. Every time I turned the computer on I had to manually adjust the lights how I liked. Using the online version or the locally installed app, you first have to install the QMK XAP interface. You then have to flash your already configured firmware file, which can be done on the Drop website. If you are logged in your last configuration is saved under your account and you can alter what you like, so you don't have to start from scratch. So, following the instructions I selected the appropriate board, entered bootloader mode, but when attempting to flash the file, I would get an error that the C:/Users/Mike C..... command is not recognized...
Oct 18, 2024
I am a loyal fan of Massdrop and actively involved in the discussions and the communities, but using DHL for Canadian orders, when you have Asendia that does a spectacular job, will just push me away from Massdrop.
In the meantime I have contacted support to ask for a refund of $10, because before joining the drop (my order #MD-47985-2301775) I had asked Massdrop community managers to be confirmed who the shipping paertner was, and I been told Asendia would be used. Then frikking DHL was used 😡😵
Please stop using DHL! Their unfair predatory practices stand totally in contrary to the spirit that you wished for Massdrop when you co-founded it!
@JayOG I totally understand your answer, but you are wrong - and I say that very respectfully. Look closely at my picture, there is absolutely no customs clearance work that was done, no duties collected, nothing. They just charged tax, two whole dollars worth of taxes, like every other business in Canada does, but allowed themselves to slap a $10 fee because they could. Does a taxi charges me a fee for collecting tax and giving it to the government at the end of the month? No. Does a restaurant charges me a fee for collecting tax and giving it to the government? Nope. How about a university? Nope. A travel agency? No sir. McDonald's? No again. My mortgage or banking institution? Nope, and yet man do they collect a bunch of taxes from me! Collecting taxes is part of the normal process of doing business and they have no moral ground on which to unilaterally add huge additional fees for it.
Yet DHL does; because they know the recipient wants their package, and they milk the delivery opportunity to gather more money (it's a hidden profit center). Haven't I (and you) already paid them to do their job? Yet they need to charge the equivalent of 30 minutes of a clerk's time (assuming they pay their clerks $20 an hour) to collect two measly dollars worth of tax? In this day and age of everything electronic? Bull***t.
Don't believe this clearances and customs crap excuses these companies serve you Jay; I'm telling you right here: they collect more money because they take advantage of the system, and take advantage of the delivery situation, and want to take advantage of your customers. Indeed, how come Asendia and, say, EMS, don't do that? I never has to pay any fees with Asendia.
And how come the same DHL were asking $25 (twenty frikking five dollars!!!!) to collect about $10 of tax? That was no duties or clearance fee; again it was a random fee to collect taxes (please note they were asking 2.5X the amount of the tax, or more than an hour's salary for a clerk). Again, millions of businesses collect taxes from me and other customers, yet they do so without digging in their customers' pockets for it. For the record, that was for order MD-26780-1725511, they were asking around $32 total. I had to send that drop back, no way I would pay such disrespectful and arbitrary fees (what, it takes one hour from someone's time to collect ten bucks? That is why they need to charge me? Bull***t, again). I was eventually refunded by Massdrop, but lost $10 because Massdrop would not refund me the shipping I had paid (I totally understand that, but boy did it sour my buying experience and impacted negatively you, not them).
DHL gouges the customers, this is what it is. They have no respect for your customer, and it's beneath Massdrop to give them business. Please Massdrop, do us all a favor, and stick to other players.
Right now, I want to jump on many other drops (like the Vorso top for example) and yet I never know if these bastiches will be used, or Asendia. If your listings would mention who the shipping carrier is, we would know and be able to decide, and it would take the guesswork out. But right now, using DHL has the effect of making many Canadian customers stay far from your drops.
I did look through the discussion and found your post asking if these would ship through DHL or Asendia (picture and discussion link included) and Massdrop did state this would ship through DHL due to weight and size restrictions. Regardless, I went ahead and increased your previous coupon from $20 to $30 which you can apply to your next transaction.
Thank you, Jay
Publication on Canadian Customs enforcement and revenue: https://www.copenhageneconomics.com/dyn/resources/Publication/publicationPDF/9/379/1488447427/copenhagen-economics-2017-e-commerce-imports-into-canada-sales-tax-and-customs-treatment.pdf
Discussion: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/blunt-classic-umbrella/talk
Post:
That discussion you mentioned was for the Classic, which I opted not to get on. In this discussion for the XS, it was said to be Asendia and that's why I joined: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/blunt-metro/talk/1763330 (however my mistake: it was not a Massdrop representative that said so).
(By the way, if Asendia was used for these Blunt items before, it's because it could be done. Why did you switch to that gang of thieves then? But I digress).
Anyway, many, many thanks for the coupon (by the way, where do I find this coupon?); it is much appreciated and totally in spirit for Massdrop. But DHL's practices are not defensible and are absolutely not in the spirit of Massdrop. They should apply judgement in their process , but they don't care about the customers, so they don't do it (especially when they make a mountain of money out of it).
For example, if taxes are $2.50 then they should not charge $10, and put that order in the 2% or 3% that do not get assessed. Just makes sense and respects the buyer. It can be done electronically, it would be simplicity itself. Or, respect the customer and use a sliding scale of fees (say, a buck), not random gouging amounts.
They told you the $25 is for "high priced items"? They lie. When they charged me $25, my order was worth $100 (couple of belts); that is absolutely not "high priced items". Do you realize they applied a 25% fee on an order (NOT taxes, FEES, that go in their pockets), just to pay themselves more? Taxes were $12. It's an insult to me, your customers, to @steve and Massdrop's spirit.
These guys are not respecting the customers, and it does not "feel like they are gouging the recipients", they are actually doing it. These guys gouge the Massdrop customers; please stop using them, for the sake of Massdrop's spirit.
PS: I also had a look at the documents you posted: everyone indeed collects taxes, that is fair and square. Again, it's part of doing business. But my point stands: DHL applies 'fees' (contrary to everybody else) to further pay themselves on the back of the recipient.