How Do We Decide?

[mosschops]

What is this contract you speak of? I certainly haven't signed anything, maybe you best get your lawyer involved for them breaching this contract?


You do realise you don't have to sign anything to have a contract don't you?

i "signed" the contract when the site i was purchasing from said that they were being sold on a first come first served basis and my payment was accepted. Of course, this contract has not yet been broken so i wouldnt expect a solicitor to be that interested, nor to be honest if it was broken. I just see it as a sign of the nature off the beast, a sad sign at that.

 

[emil10001]

I think that at this point, it should go to first come first server on the orders. If these are MP units, then that's how they should be treated. We have all been waiting for a really long time for this thing to ship, and I'd really like to see this be the start of normal shipping. I think that this will do at least as much (if not more) good for the community as would shipping to more devs.

 

[God Ginrai]

What is this contract you speak of? I certainly haven't signed anything, maybe you best get your lawyer involved for them breaching this contract?


You do realise you don't have to sign anything to have a contract don't you?

i "signed" the contract when the site i was purchasing from said that they were being sold on a first come first served basis and my payment was accepted. Of course, this contract has not yet been broken so i wouldnt expect a solicitor to be that interested, nor to be honest if it was broken. I just see it as a sign of the nature off the beast, a sad sign at that.

To tell you the truth, I think the site said that we would keep our place in line. As long as we have our place in line in front of other buyers, then they have not breached our "contract".

-God Ginrai

 

[Phawx]

I'm torn. I ordered very early. Don't know if I am in the first hundred, but I believe I am in the first 500. Though I ordered three, so I don't really want separate shipments, just one big lot. I guess I just think it should be First come, first served.

 

[emil10001]

EDIT: Double post because of merged thread. <img class="bbc_emoticon" alt="" src="http://www.gp32x.de/board/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif"><br><br>Eh, whatever happens, happens. I'll be happy if I end up with a unit (that I paid for back in september 08).<br>

 

[Squidge]

How about a lineup like this:

• devs currently developing for the Pandora with dev boards
• devs developing for the Pandora without dev boards, but getting other people to test there stuff
• proven devs (eg. released useful gp2x software in the past) and are willing to develope for the Pandora
• and then anyone else.

The second two ensure more software when other people get it. Non devs without software will play a little and then likely put the Pandora in a cupboard until theres software. It might as well be in someones hand that is going to do something with it.

Maybe it should exclude people who had a 1st batch dev board and didn't do anything with it.

 

[kloplop321]

Yeah, both sides are very logical: give to devs, give to first 100 buyers.

We have been having a lot of Software development despite the unfortunate hardware/order related problems. However, Just because the devs get the device early only means things will be mapped better on the controls, or things like that(nothing that an in-game configuration and an INI can't do).

The first 100 buyers were obviously dedicated, It would be somewhat a shame to not satisfy this group.

Advantages for Devs: maybe some more software and OS things ironed out as they know how to code and fix an open system. Maybe some more things would be ported over.
Disadvantages for Devs: Not much, but not every Dev can notice little quirks or test everything in programs to find where bugs reside.

I am just going to call the First 100 Buyers as FHB to be short.

Advantages for FHB: The truely dedicated(or lucky to know of the sale's moment) buyers would get to be rewarded for their actions. What would they provide to the community? I would think a LOT of redundant(can't be helped) media. Like box opening videos, or other general things.
Disadvantages for FHB: Not all are devs, some may complain because lack of support on some things. The Devs can provide their own support until you have a full community to support each other.

This community would do well when a LOT of users have and use it. (Think of the Ubuntu Forums' Support)

 

[RajTakhar]

This is going to turn into the mother of all posts

In the past i argued strongly for devs getting some initial pandoras from first batch after all order fulfilled but before any sent out to the press.

Now - after such a long wait i'm torn - I guess it's all down to timing and how much a particualr dev's project is up there and classed as being 'wicked' - but who will class what a wicked app actually is?

I'd be inclined to say mix it up give some to normal users and some to devs as long as each group can test the crap out the first 100 machines and let everyone know any issues/flaws

Doubt if i am in top 1000 let alone 100 so i'll just keep fingers crossed

I wished craig would post it here rather than twitter - it does not add any real excitement to process just more confusion - we need a single voice of reason - otherwise this thread could just spread angst

 

[Bosbeetle]

How about a lineup like this:

• devs currently developing for the Pandora with dev boards
• devs developing for the Pandora without dev boards, but getting other people to test there stuff
• proven devs (eg. released useful gp2x software in the past) and are willing to develope for the Pandora
• and then anyone else.

The second two ensure more software when other people get it. Non devs without software will play a little and then likely put the Pandora in a cupboard until theres software. It might as well be in someones hand that is going to do something with it.

Maybe it should exclude people who had a 1st batch dev board and didn't do anything with it.

I think I agree with your list, but the anyone else should be at least the #1 on the list, just for the shear effort of out-f5-ing everybody else

 

[VRAndy]

I haven't had time to read this entire thread, but hasn't the plan always been from the beginning to ship them out in the order the that preorders were placed?

It might cause a lot of unhappiness and debate if they suddenly have to decide upon an Elite 100 instead.

Edit : To clarify, a lot of people would be happy with only the software we've seen videos of already. If people in the top 100 (I'm pretty sure that does not include me, if you were wondering.) feel the same way, they might be a bit miffed that someone was given priority over them.

 

[kloplop321]

I think that a 100 lotto would be unfair. You can't "prove" that it was completely random.

 

[dgame]

I think that at this point, it should go to first come first serve on the orders. If these are MP units, then that's how they should be treated. We have all been waiting for a really long time for this thing to ship, and I'd really like to see this be the start of normal shipping. I think that this will do at least as much (if not more) good for the community as would shipping to more devs.

+1 for FIFO

 

[wermy]

I haven't had time to read this entire thread, but hasn't the plan always been from the beginning to ship them out in the order the that preorders were placed?

It might cause a lot of unhappiness and debate if they suddenly have to decide upon an Elite 100 instead.

Edit : To clarify, a lot of people would be happy with only the software we've seen videos of already. If people in the top 100 (I'm pretty sure that does not include me, if you were wondering.) feel the same way, they might be a bit miffed that someone was given priority over them.

I totally agree. Anyone who jumped on this when the preorders were first available knew what they were getting into (niche device, relying on dev community for new stuff to play with). I vote FIFO as well.

Edit: I'm probably around 3500 in line, so this doesn't really affect me -- just seems only fair.

 

[chole]

First come first served. It's only fair.

I'm sure there's a handful of devs in the top 100 as it is

IF the people who are in the first 100 were asked if they wished their device to go to a developer for X software then that would be fine

the idea is sensible and a good way to ensure OP Ltd does not end up looking amateurish again.

The nice thing, I suspect, is that there's a pretty sizable chunk out of that hundred who would volunteer their spot without a second thought. Some may go for the reward of immediate gratification, but a lot of buyers would be happy to show that they're part of the community and want to benefit all Pandora owners as a whole. I know that I'd give mine up, for starters (I'm like #3600 or something, though).

 

[mosschops]

"I wished craig would post it here rather than twitter - it does not add any real excitement to process just more confusion - we need a single voice of reason - otherwise this thread could just spread angst"

i actually wish craig would post this on the OP Ltd website and that it be kept up to date rather than me having to trawl here, twitter, youtube, the unoffial site blog etc. This a limited company and i would expect the company and it's official representative to behave as such and be professional about how it communicates with ALL of it's customers (not just "us" who check the sites every day or every other day).

I really do despair at this kind of thing. I am really looking forward to being able to use this device but to be frank, it has been so much time since parting with my cash that i have written the money off and I have bought various other toys to play with in the meantime so i dont actually care if it turns up in a week or two months.

I now use this as some sort of sad soap opera with bad acting, bad scenery, actresses with plastic tits and long lost twin siblings who turn up when someone dies with lots of money when i cant be arsed doing anything at work.

 

[Phawx]

Aren't we all getting ahead of ourselves?

ED said on July 20th, they should have the first 100 boards. But the cases won't even be ready yet. Wouldn't this count that these are merely dev boards?

 

[kloplop321]

No, because they don't (I do not think) have the Dev components/connections on it

 

[God Ginrai]

"I wished craig would post it here rather than twitter - it does not add any real excitement to process just more confusion - we need a single voice of reason - otherwise this thread could just spread angst"

i actually wish craig would post this on the OP Ltd website and that it be kept up to date rather than me having to trawl here, twitter, youtube, the unoffial site blog etc. This a limited company and i would expect the company and it's official representative to behave as such and be professional about how it communicates with ALL of it's customers (not just "us" who check the sites every day or every other day).

I really do despair at this kind of thing. I am really looking forward to being able to use this device but to be frank, it has been so much time since parting with my cash that i have written the money off and I have bought various other toys to play with in the meantime so i dont actually care if it turns up in a week or two months.

I now use this as some sort of sad soap opera with bad acting, bad scenery, actresses with plastic tits and long lost twin siblings who turn up when someone dies with lots of money when i cant be arsed doing anything at work.

Are you boycotting the Quote button? Also, you insult these boards, but to me you're not looking like much more than the average troll.

EDIT:

Aren't we all getting ahead of ourselves?

ED said on July 20th, they should have the first 100 boards. But the cases won't even be ready yet. Wouldn't this count that these are merely dev boards?

ED and Craig both said that these 100 boards will be in the final units, therefore they won't be merely dev boards.

-God Ginrai

 

[hells_dark]

Well, imo, those 100 pandoras are still in the test process.
They can be treated differently…

 

[VRAndy]

The nice thing, I suspect, is that there's a pretty sizable chunk out of that hundred who would volunteer their spot without a second thought. Some may go for the reward of immediate gratification[...]

That's the way to do it, then. Ask the first 100 individually.

That way some might still go to devs, but without engendering more anger from customers.

Telling us that these 100 are the real actual units that will be shipped to us customers, and then later telling us "Actually, they're really just development units" will not go down well given this project's history. I don't think it would be wise to trade two months of forum anger for a two month leg-up for some folk developing apps.