Re-order Emails Going Out Now

[mali]

I'll ask you the same question I asked the last guy who posted a rambling wall-of-text complaint about the "lack of communication" - What do you want to know? Specifically, what can I tell you that I haven't posted several times already? All information that I have has been posted here as conspicuously as it can be. Everybody who is affected by the bank switch is being contacted personally through email. The re-order URL with the new bank will be posted as soon as it is available. Pandora production is already underway and none of these issues (save LCD availability) will slow it down. None of them will stop it.


Woah, there. Apparently I'm the guy who posted a "rambling wall-of-text complaint" ? Well, excuse me! Someone posted "wouldn't it be nice if we had a web page to check order status" and I said "yes, I agree". You said no we're too busy. I pressed the point that it needn't take a lot of time and effort and could be done by someone other than those on the critical path - in fact it could free up time of those on the critical path. From my perspective the only answer I got to the question of "why?" was the angry parent's mantra "BECAUSE I SAID SO". That, my friend is not really much of an answer. And, from my perspective it's not much of a complaint either...

You then said "what more information do you want me to post?" (or words to that affect). And I answered "Nothing". That's the point you don't get - I don't need or want more general status. You do a great job with that. Instead what I wanted to do was HELP - by giving those folks who wanted a specific order status a tool to do that. You wouldn't even entertain the idea - having decided with what appears to be very little analysis that the problem is too time consuming and not worth solving. And, because you carry the earned respect of the board, a lot of folks generally jump in with "yeah, what chip says" posts. That's only natural.

Your opening statements of professional vs. hobbyists is well intentioned but complete BS. Sure, it might apply to Sony or Nintendo - but it's not a professional vs. hobbyist thing at all. No reason at all why increasing the professionalism of the order process and status reporting need change anything else about the ethos of this project. (which for the umpteenth time let me state I have nothing but respect for). It's about fine tuning (and perhaps self-reflection).

I am very sorry you lost your job, and I imagine I'd be very terse and a lot less polite with folks if I were in your situation. What is your line of work? Maybe we can help you find paying employment? Good luck!

In general you do a great job with communication and moderation - I don't blame you for shutting down the threads that you do. But it is frustrating to be called a fool and not have a chance to respond - that's human nature. When someone calls me "dimmer than a black hole" I actually would rather respond than turn the other cheek. It's my choice. I had actually written most of that fire engine post in reply to that thread and when I came to actually submit the post you had already closed the thread - so I simply created a new thread. Remember, it was a joke - and I still think you were wrong about not doing an order status tool about 10 days ago...

All the best - and the best of luck. Let us know if there's a way we can help (apart from telling me not to post! )


Please put this to rest. Nobody is happy with the situation. Chip isn't happy, either, but he holds his head out in the storm for the community. You wanted to help to solve the situation and personally I thank you for your effort, because every possible alternative has to be considered and the more people think about it, the better. You are no fool, nobody called you a fool and you are welcome as everybody else.
I beg you to let it rest, now.

 

[PsoBloke]

I am a bit unsure as I am in a different situation. The money returned to my account a few days ago, no problem there, but there has been no mail from the crew yet, which leads me to the conclusion it got lost somewhere on the way. I probably better mail them about it, just making a note here that the money arrived to central Europe faster than the mail.

Im assuming they won't send the links until the new bank's ready to receive the money, so the new bank's not fully ready yet. Either that or i'm in the same boat as you (apart from I got the refund email a week ago and am still waiting for it to pop back into my bank, though hopefully it'll be today or tomorrow, otherwise I'll have to chase it up I think!)

 

[jdh2550]

Please put this to rest. Nobody is happy with the situation. Chip isn't happy, either, but he holds his head out in the storm for the community. You wanted to help to solve the situation and personally I thank you for your effort, because every possible alternative has to be considered and the more people think about it, the better. You are no fool, nobody called you a fool and you are welcome as everybody else.
I beg you to let it rest, now.

I had put this to rest - however, (1) this was a response to a derogatory post from Chip (I take exception with it being categorized by Chip as a "wall of text complaint" and as I respect Chip I wanted to respond & (2) as far as no one calling me a fool how exactly would you interpret "dimmer than a black hole"? It doesn't sound much like a compliment to me. FYI, that's the second to last post before Chip shut the thread down ;-)

 

[rmm2131]

In general you do a great job with communication and moderation - I don't blame you for shutting down the threads that you do. But it is frustrating to be called a fool and not have a chance to respond - that's human nature. When someone calls me "dimmer than a black hole" I actually would rather respond than turn the other cheek. It's my choice. I had actually written most of that fire engine post in reply to that thread and when I came to actually submit the post you had already closed the thread - so I simply created a new thread. Remember, it was a joke - and I still think you were wrong about not doing an order status tool about 10 days ago...

All the best - and the best of luck. Let us know if there's a way we can help (apart from telling me not to post! )

EDIT: In fact, I encourage you to go back and read the progression of the thread - starting at my initial post. I challenge you to find how this is a negative addition to the post. Verbose, yes - I apologize for that. Negative? I don't think so. Follow on replies get less friendly when folks don't even do me the courtesy of reading what I post and/or make big assumptions simply to support their position. Not agreeing with someone != complaining. Sticking with a point for a couple more tries != whining. But yes, I sure am verbose! Guilty as charged. Stubborn? In the parlance of a recently departed VP candidate: You Betcha!

Peace.



I said you were dimmer than a black hole jdh2550 and I apologize for that. Please don't burn the Tardis.

As for the rest, all of this fiasco will be well earned individually, to varying degrees, by everyone when mid/late december comes by and we have something to do with our fingers other than nip at each other from ALL of our soapboxes.

andora1:

 

[jdh2550]

I said you were dimmer than a black hole jdh2550 and I apologize for that. Please don't burn the Tardis.

As for the rest, all of this fiasco will be well earned individually, to varying degrees, by everyone when mid/late december comes by and we have something to do with our fingers other than nip at each other from ALL of our soapboxes.

andora1:

Thanks for the apology - and I apologize too. Personally I would never burn the TARDIS and I grew up watching K-9 as he made his appearances the first time around (mostly from behind the sofa - those Daleks were scary!).

Yes, I'm a long-winded, stubborn jerk - but, like 99% of the folks on this board my heart is in the right place.

BTW - I hope we get them in December - but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

 

[rmm2131]

I said you were dimmer than a black hole jdh2550 and I apologize for that. Please don't burn the Tardis.

As for the rest, all of this fiasco will be well earned individually, to varying degrees, by everyone when mid/late december comes by and we have something to do with our fingers other than nip at each other from ALL of our soapboxes.

andora1:

Thanks for the apology - and I apologize too. Personally I would never burn the TARDIS and I grew up watching K-9 as he made his appearances the first time around (mostly from behind the sofa - those Daleks were scary!).

Yes, I'm a long-winded, stubborn jerk - but, like 99% of the folks on this board my heart is in the right place.

BTW - I hope we get them in December - but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.


Actually, you don't need to apologize. I was being a royal dinkus yesterday. You're passionate about what you believe and that is beyond noble, but you'll never "win" if the board doesn't agree with what you're saying regardless of how logical your idea is, believe me i've tried. It's like trying to tell an obese person that pastry is not love and exercise is healthier than video games. You'll only end up being pummeled.

I do wish there was a way we could find out the status of our orders(mine was placed about an hour after preordering was available). I would be very happy with that, but Pandora team is on a slim budget eating only ramen noodles and muddy water so money is tight. I even heard they were boiling Pandora prototypes down for jerky, but that sounded outrageous. <_<

 

[(naw)mcx]

Just got mine, in UK.

Yay?!

 

[joa]

jdh2550:

I remember your thread. You tried to tell a story about the fire engine. The story was one giant analogy. I didn't see it personally, Reason being, If you turned up at the scene of a fire with a fire engine then you'd be welcome to help.

In reality you said "i'll do it" on a forum. I bet you didn't email craig etc with your credentials, experience and a proposal of you would like to do?

Which would have more fitting, IMO.

actually, More fitting would be to show up outside craigs house with your laptop and dev kit. He can show you the "fire" (the DB and all the entries, order status). And you could sit there and get developing? :lol:

 

[fade]

well, i got my reorder email on the 4th, and as yet theres no refund in my account. I'm patient and i can wait, but I havent been keeping up, has anyone else received a refund yet?

 

[mali]

well, i got my reorder email on the 4th, and as yet theres no refund in my account. I'm patient and i can wait, but I havent been keeping up, has anyone else received a refund yet?

in post #312 somebody said, that he received a refund.
And another one here
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showt...=45141&st=0

 

[fade]

Ah right, oh well, just need to keep checking

 

[Chip]

Woah, there. Apparently I'm the guy who posted a "rambling wall-of-text complaint" ? Well, excuse me! Someone posted "wouldn't it be nice if we had a web page to check order status" and I said "yes, I agree". You said no we're too busy. I pressed the point that it needn't take a lot of time and effort and could be done by someone other than those on the critical path - in fact it could free up time of those on the critical path. From my perspective the only answer I got to the question of "why?" was the angry parent's mantra "BECAUSE I SAID SO". That, my friend is not really much of an answer. And, from my perspective it's not much of a complaint either...
Sorry, your post was not the rambling wall of text I was thinking of. They all start to run together after a while.

I didn't really get that you were offering to do the work yourself. A moment's thought should show why that would be impossible. What kind of company would just hand over login credentials to their bank account (with over a million dollars worth of deposits and the personal information, name, address, email, CC number for several thousand customers) to (and I mean this in the most respectful way possible) some guy on a forum?

It is, as I have said, faster and easier to just do what we've been doing and get it done. This whole mess should be cleared up in a few more days and we can move on. I see no reason to continue the discussion.

 

[WizardStan]

Somewhere in this big thread someone said there was an issue with the refunds, and that the didn't actually start being issued until... the 7th I think? Even though the email saying a refund went out, the bank hadn't actually started the process.
Given it can take up to a week for a transaction to complete, I wouldn't start worrying until this weekend.

 

[Squidge]

jdh2550: Chip is right. Some things can be done by people not on the critical path; however those people require information from people that are on the critical path, and those people are either too busy or too cautious to give out that information without consulting there manager (who is also running around like a headless chicken). The end result is that if can do something for the project, fine, good luck, but don't expect any information which isn't already public.

 

[noisome]

...The end result is that if can do something for the project, fine, good luck, but don't expect any information which isn't already public.

For the public, there has been a web page up for checking Pandora order status. It is Fake Link Removed.



EDIT: We're working hard to keep everybody informed about project status. Please don't make things worse with gag links like this. - Chip

 

[Mjlink]

...The end result is that if can do something for the project, fine, good luck, but don't expect any information which isn't already public.

For the public, there has been a web page up for checking Pandora order status. It is Fake Link Removed.

Noisome

who is digital52.com

Where do these folks fit in on our orders?

Just skeptical giving out the one piece of information that guarantees me a Pandora.

Or am I being paranoid (again)?

Link

 

[joa]

I've not yet recieved mine. All we can do is wait.

 

[finisterre]

I'm in the UK and placed my order just AFTER the order deadline closed. I got my refund email today, so I would guess they must be just about done with the UK refund emails.

 

[WizardStan]

who is digital52.com

Where do these folks fit in on our orders?

Just skeptical giving out the one piece of information that guarantees me a Pandora.

Or am I being paranoid (again)?

You're being paranoid. It's obviously a "joke". It tells you one true thing about your Pandora: that it hasn't shipped yet. It says that no matter what you put in.

 

[jdh2550]

I see no reason to continue the discussion.

Actually, me neither - but if someone posts something that's a misconception of my intent or my position I'm still likely to respond. So, if folks are tired of this - don't read it and don't post. But if you want to post then more than likely I'll reply.

Sorry, your post was not the rambling wall of text I was thinking of. They all start to run together after a while.

I didn't really get that you were offering to do the work yourself. A moment's thought should show why that would be impossible. What kind of company would just hand over login credentials to their bank account (with over a million dollars worth of deposits and the personal information, name, address, email, CC number for several thousand customers) to (and I mean this in the most respectful way possible) some guy on a forum?

It is, as I have said, faster and easier to just do what we've been doing and get it done. This whole mess should be cleared up in a few more days and we can move on.

I didn't make my offer of help clear in this thread - because I'd posted something other in an earlier thread on the same topic. And I figured why bother Craig if I couldn't get at least one or two influential people on the board to agree with me (there ya go joa - that's why no turning up unannounced was considered).

And, c'mon, who said anything about "just handing over the keys to the safe to some guy". From my perspective it's more about the fact that the idea was shot down with no real thought about whether it could be made to work. If you didn't think it could work that's fine but that doesn't mean that it couldn't have.

My resume includes the technical and personnel management of a project and successfully delivering a complex order to cash internal system that deals with hundreds of thousands of orders a year for a successful $200M company. Several managers before me had failed (dismally!) That's kind of my crowning achievement of my career (and I'm proud of it and more so of the team) - but I learned a lot about managing and when and how to push and when and where to spend precious resources. I don't necessarily follow a lot of rules, nor prescribe a specific process (every situation is different) - but I do have a successful complex, mission critical software application to my name (and to my team's name). It's about 5 years old now and still being built upon. Anybody who is wondering why I didn't state that earlier - I wanted to gauge interest first. But, alas, no one was interested. Fair enough.

Whether I know more or less, and whether or not this could have worked or not we'll never know. Not really a big deal - nothing is life or death about this. I hope things go well.

Sure I'm probably tooting my own horn too much. Sorry - but as you can imagine my professional pride is hurt a little bit when folks makes sweeping assumptions about me that aren't true.