Explaining The Pandora

[SomeGuy99]

I just took a refreshing nap in the sun and feel like posting some honest words.
The whole China discussion was, is and will always be utter bullshit.

It does not belong here, period. Everyone is making up a mind after consuming some second hand info. "China quality is crap", "they are slow", "they don't understand", "they kill themselves", etc.

100% hypocritical blah blah from some geeks on a gaming handheld forum.

Oh, and I like British humour so I keep smiling.
If I wouldn't like British humour, I would be seriously depressed thinking that the "head" of the team posts so much "improvable" stuff.

Maybe I'll regret my honesty later..*thinks*, *waits*.. nope.

Back into the sun!

I always appreciate honesty. Bravo.

 

[mali]

*sigh*
I feel I have to add something. It's not that I think you do so much wrong, Craig. It's a great achievment that you and everyone who sticks to the project has come this far. I have just this one serious advice:

Listen to the Community. Don't think you are alone and have to do it the "lone rider" way.

 

[cobaltage]

The China thing is a complicated issue.

In the U.S., there are occasional "Made in the U.S.A." movements. Most recently, toy companies have had to deal with problems associated with toxic paint used in manufacturing processes in China. Toy makers now have to go through a lot of safety testing, and toys "made in the U.S.A." are emphasized as being locally constructed in order to raise consumer confidence. No one goes for a "Not made in China" thing, because if you say "Made in the U.S.A.," doing so already informs those people who care about that sort of thing that the products aren't made elsewhere in unsafe conditions, etc.

Similarly, for the Pandora, giving it a negative label like "not made in China" probably won't play well. Anyone who is inclined to care about what happens in China already cares about it now. They'll accept a designation like "made in the U.K." as meaning "not made in China." Anyone who doesn't care about what happens in China isn't going to start caring because of Pandora's website. And anyone who really wants a Pandora would probably buy one whether it was manufactured in China or not, either in whole or in part. Finally, "made in the U.K." isn't going to appeal to anyone outside of the U.K. You can't advertise something as being "made locally" when you're selling it globally.

I appreciate that Craig has strong feelings about the matter. I don't think that whether or not it's made in China will be a selling point for the Pandora. However, if a part of the text includes something like, "We at OP are concerned about how electronics are made, and we are proud to be able to manufacture the Pandora under safe and humane conditions, etc." That will definitely be read as a dig against China by anyone who knows what's going on. But I think the real selling points for the Pandora are just as others have mentioned -- community development, community control, community support, and no fears of an abandoned OS due to a fast incremental upgrade cycle, etc. The fact that it is not made in China fits in with the overall ethic, but it's really the overall ethic that sells the Pandora, IMO.

 

[tristan.clark]

I appreciate that Craig has strong feelings about the matter. I don't think that whether or not it's made in China will be a selling point for the Pandora. However, if a part of the text includes something like, "We at OP are concerned about how electronics are made, and we are proud to be able to manufacture the Pandora under safe and humane conditions, etc." That will definitely be read as a dig against China by anyone who knows what's going on. But I think the real selling points for the Pandora are just as others have mentioned -- community development, community control, community support, and no fears of an abandoned OS due to a fast incremental upgrade cycle, etc. The fact that it is not made in China fits in with the overall ethic, but it's really the overall ethic that sells the Pandora, IMO.

+1

Its better to concentrate on the main selling points for the Pandora and be as ethical as possible about its manufacture processes. As the main issue is about humane conditions. The other issues regarding quality, business practices and communication exist globally to some extent and there are ways of dealing with those (like having your own factory in Hexham).

I also find myself agreeing with Mali at this point in so far as the issue has, already, be thoroughly discussed and is no longer leading any where.

 

[Chock]

Agreeing with what a lot of people have said.

"The convenient communist slave nation." I can see where this could offend some people (even people who left China because of its regime). Even though it's not aimed at them, some people don't like to hear about their country talked about this way(even if they know it's true in some areas). Anyway, a lot could be said about China and all the other countries (incl. the richest ones).

So I would also leave out the political message.
Also, I doubt most people would make the difference between "made in china" and "assembled in china".
So, if they learn that the case is made in china, it will definitely look like a contradiction with the initial message.

Emphasizing on "assembled in UK" (or at least mentioning it) will be clear enough for people to get that it was not made in china.

And as some have said, "where it was build will probably not be a strong factor in people's choice for the device.
You might as well use humor to lightly emphasize on this point : "The Pandora was manufactured in UK so that her Majesty could get one faster.", or whatever funnier.

Again, as many have said, there are other arguments to attract people : "the device doesn't spy on you and is so versatile that James Pond(*) ordered 2 already." (* not a typo).


For me, the whole Pandora experience can be summarized in 1 sentence :

"Pandora: open the box and you'll end up on the roof"
Then again, that would only talk to forum followers...

 

[Snorbert]

I appreciate that Craig has strong feelings about the matter. I don't think that whether or not it's made in China will be a selling point for the Pandora. However, if a part of the text includes something like, "We at OP are concerned about how electronics are made, and we are proud to be able to manufacture the Pandora under safe and humane conditions, etc." That will definitely be read as a dig against China by anyone who knows what's going on. But I think the real selling points for the Pandora are just as others have mentioned -- community development, community control, community support, and no fears of an abandoned OS due to a fast incremental upgrade cycle, etc. The fact that it is not made in China fits in with the overall ethic, but it's really the overall ethic that sells the Pandora, IMO.

+1
Its better to concentrate on the main selling points for the Pandora and be as ethical as possible about its manufacture processes. As the main issue is about humane conditions. The other issues regarding quality, business practices and communication exist globally to some extent and there are ways of dealing with those (like having your own factory in Hexham).

I also find myself agreeing with Mali at this point in so far as the issue has, already, be thoroughly discussed and is no longer leading any where.

+1 to both the posters, and +1 to Gruso's suggested rewrite if something a bit stronger is wanted.

Once you want to get all "communist menace", the only way not to end up in some kind of Godwin's Law situation (the old "discussion thread dies once Hitler or the Nazis get mentioned" thing) is to go into edgy humour a la Old Man Murray or The Onion:

"Pandora - it almost killed us getting it made, but nobody killed themselves assembling it!"
or
"Pandora - our workers don't jump out of windows, and that's not just because the factory is on the ground floor!"

Ehem. Guess that's why I don't write ad copy.