Neo 1973 is sold out...

[Jonathon Suggs]

Ian Stirling wrote:
> We need to know, in decreasing order:
> Is the GTA02 hardware likely to be able to SHIP to developers in October?
>
> Have any changes been made to the published GTA02 specifications other 
> than the new LEDs?
>
> How many outstanding orders are there for the GTA01?
>
> What is the current GTA01 production volume?
>
> Do you not really want to sell the GTA01 at all?
I feel like I've been doing a lot of complaining on the list lately, but 
I have to agree 110%.  Everyone is always saying things like "be 
grateful for the information you've been given" and "this is more 'open' 
communication than with other companies."  While those may be true, this 
project is different.  Sean does communicate directly with the 
community.  At one point we were somewhat kept in the loop, now we get 
nothing  (ok, not nothing).

I for one am glad that I did not purchase the GTA01.  The entire process 
(at least from what I have read) has been at best a complete disaster, 
and it still isn't over or even getting better.  FIC may not have ever 
done B2C, but that still doesn't excuse them from doing *basic* customer 
support and follow up. Sure, the demand may have been *MUCH* larger than 
expected and that will inevitably cause delays.  However, a completely 
brain dead simple way of handling that would be to (gasp) communicate 
with the people who attempted to purchase the device.  You have 
everyones contact information...is it *really* that hard or take THAT 
much time to keep people in the loop for something they have tried to 
pay for?  The little things do make a difference, and in this case the 
little things that weren't done really spoke badly as to how FIC will 
take care of its customers, present and future.

Enough complaining about B2C.  Now on to overall company direction.  I 
really want this project to succeed and I want a GTA02 device.  But why 
the lack of communication from people?  Honestly, I just don't 
understand how keeping quiet can be considered a positive thing.  You 
don't have to outline company roadmaps, give details of the hardware 
revisions on a day-by-day basis.  All that is wanted is some sort of 
basic communication about general progress, preferably once a week, but 
even every other week would probably be well received as well.

My only speculation is that when Sean was keeping us in the loop and 
things slipped that there was some backlash possibly from inside FIC 
that didn't like that the consumers having so much information about 
company internals...now he is kept on a somewhat tighter leash and can't 
really say as much.  Considering that is how *most* companies operate, 
it isn't that far fetched...but then again that means FIC is just like 
all of the other companies.  Except in this case they are pushing Open 
Standards and Protocols.

Sorry for the rant again but just thought it needed to be said.