I just started handing them the code and asking where the crash would happen, then they usually shut up pretty quick. If they want to run it themselves, even better, let the machine teach them.

Yeah, "three times on the first wall" sounds rough, but I gotta ask, did you watch any setup videos or just wing it? I see guys on here acting like these things are rocket science, half the time it's a dull blade or the wrong mud thickness. Maybe it's not for everyone, but calling it a total waste after one bad job feels like quitting too early. You could probably sell it and get most of your money back, or just use it for the long straight runs and hand tape the corners like most of us do anyway. Not saying it's a miracle machine, but it's not a paperweight either.

I had a similar thing happen with my old landlord in Portland. She found my 10 gallon bin in the garage and left a note about "unauthorized organic matter." I just moved it inside under my kitchen sink and never mentioned it again. The inspection came, she looked around, and that was that. The bin is sealed and doesn't smell, so inside worked fine. People get weird about stuff they don't understand, and fighting about it just makes them dig in. Easier to keep it off their radar than to win a debate about worm poop.