What Is Your Worst Fear About The Pandora ?

[jakewastaken]

Don't forget about a lot of college kids too. Some parents give their 22-23 year old's christmas gifts still.

That being said, I am 23 and I did buy it with my own money. I plan on contributing to this community as much as I can. I'm newer to the forums but I have had my eye on this project for a long time. I'm really excited to see what we can all accomplish for the Pandora together.

Back to the topic at hand. I hope everything is okay with the hardware and that reordering goes smoothly and that the lcds come quickly, but the battery exploding all over my junk has to take priority as the word possible scenario.

If you're more concerned with $20 or dead pixels than you are about your "other unit," then I think you're being a bit ridiculous.

We will be fortunate as shit if our worst fear is late delivery or anything else trivial as hell.

 

[Pleng]

Wow.

There appear to be a lot of people getting very uptight about small stuff!....<snip>....
2. You (and I!) have PRE-ORDERED a device which DOESN'T YET EXIST....<snip>....
3. You (and I!) have PRE-ORDERED a device which DOESN'T YET EXIST. ....<snip>....
4. You (and I!) have PRE-ORDERED a device which DOESN'T YET EXIST.....<snip>....
5. ....<snip>....You (and I!) have PRE-ORDERED a device which DOESN'T YET EXIST. ....<snip>....

so that a device which DOESN'T YET EXIST can finally be brought into being and shipped out to happy customers.
....<snip>....

forr a product that DOESN'T YET EXIST. Whining ....<snip>....

--Todd

Stop being so ambiguous... just come out and tell us please, does this device exist yet, or not?!

there were a few underage gp2x developers putting out good software.

lol what's the legal age for software development then?

 

[PoisonedV]

lol what's the legal age for software development then?

underage as in 'minor' as in someone not legally granted some of the rights of adulthood, mostly around the ages of 18 or 20. sorry, i know its a hard concept to grasp.

 

[pain-giver]

QUOTE
Basically I was hoping for 3000 people that shared a common interest to contribute back and the 'second batch' people should treat it as a retail product.


Ill be the first to admit that I have to experience with programming at all, however, thats not to say that Ill just be someone who grabs programs and does nothing

Ill be more then glad to help anyway I can, whether it's giving constructive feedback on applications, or helping out someone who needs to find a game. The community isn't just limited to making things you know

 

[PsoBloke]

Don't discount the fact that the juniors have the time and energy to be developers as well. I programmed games in C, made a tyrian clone, multiplayer pac-man, and other tools when I was 13-16. I didn't have any responsibility except school, no wheels, and I had nothing but time.

Now I'm 27 and I've all but lost my grasp on all languages except HTML. This will be my first foray into linux as I can not afford to completely switch over any of my computers, as Windows machines are required by my work.

This is in fact why I am getting a pandora - as a hobby in hopes that I figure out enough about the system to develop for it.

I'm in the same boat as lucidchaos (though a few years younger) - When I was in secondary school it was all about the programming and the ladies. (And the time spent on programming and ladies was an unfortunate ratio of about 10:1)

 

[jdh2550]

Confused? Clearly. Panicky? Definitely. Demanding? UNAMBIGUOUSLY (see what I did there?).

No, please do explain, I'm all ears (literally, I had a HELL of a time in school!)

QUOTE

Craig's posts were perfectly understandable.



No they weren't. The ones you chose to highlight were. Of course that's the usual way with online debates like this.

Craig introduced a casual "oh, we may have problems with the bank" half way through a post on what are your worst fears. And then he blew it up into all sorts of crapola with a freakin' riddle about 256MB. Maybe Baby! He should start writing Sarah Palin's speeches. You Betcha! And what a thread to chose it in - some well meaning user starts a negativity thread and then the head honcho uses THAT thread to spread FUD.

He also introduced some juicy unknowns - "some" credit cards will have to be "re-ordered". Without much in the way of specifics (after all he could have said "hold tight, details will be forthcoming by date X and posted on the official openpandora.org website").

You've not told me anything new with that post. Remember those teachers at school that when you asked a question again they just repeated the same answer? It's also a bit like folks who travel abroad and then speak slowly and loudly instead of trying to communicate in a different way. Sometimes it's not enough to just repeat ad nauseum.

I'm happy to trade condescension and verbal arrogance with you 'til the bovines arrive at their domiciles.

But still, it doesn't really matter who's "right" and who's "wrong". There's an easy solution to this communication issue. You're a moderator. You're well thought of. You write succinctly. So, how about a locked thread that's pinned that gives some specifics. Also, how about you ask for write permissions to openpandora.org and post to the "Latest News" section the details as soon as you get them from Craig, ED or MWeston (who seem to the major three). I meant it - I vote for you as official communications channel between now and when the first batch is all delivered. I'll even donate to a paypal fund to compensate you for that work.

I still think the Pandora is an awesome achievement and that the folks doing the work deserve sainthood. But they also need to pick up their communications savvy at this point. I say this not to be dismissive but to encourage them to make the most of their commitments that have (a) got the project this far & (B) fostered a dynamic and lively community.

Good luck! But remember COMMUNICATION IS KEY (that one does bear repeating assuming it is said to someone who understands the language).

 

[verm71]

Issues and setbacks are going to crop up a lot. There are probably going to be hardware problems of some sort or another. There are definitely going to be software problems for the first several revisions. If you want to get the most out of it, you're going to have to deal with the issues. You're going to have to suffer through a few months of buggy software. You may have to bust out a soldering iron or dremel.

That's some of my fears right there; a cold solder here and there, or a broken internal plastic pin holding something in place somewhere due to a little bit of enthusiastic game playing.

I can use a dremel, but for some reason really teeny tiny solders tend to become tin globs with me, ruining the whole thing. I can deal with software issues because I know someone else somewhere has the same problem, and that it won't be dismissed as a "one-off".

I've got over 20 years of programming experience (but not much under *nix) so I know how user patience is appreciated by a programmer, not to mention to those who spend their personal time for the benefit of helping others out.

Pre-ordering is a leap of faith, however you look at it. You're putting money down on something no one's ever touched in its final incarnation; and even at the development level, there has been some costs savings by skipping over certain prototype phases and tests.

I have faith that these designers have put their experience to good work and have taken decisions that will not end up impacting the overall long-term performance and quality of the device.

 

[hch]

How many 'parents' are buying the Pandora? I've seen maybe three people mention supplies of funds coming from guardians. I have some faith in Juniors who have a hankering for technology, but damn...I was hoping for a literal shit-ton of developers pre-ordering this bish.

Basically I was hoping for 3000 people that shared a common interest to contribute back and the 'second batch' people should treat it as a retail product.

Le Sigh

don't be so pessimistic. minors can be quite competent coders. and tend to have more free time on their hand..

 

[WarmFluffyUK]

don't be so pessimistic. minors can be quite competent coders. and tend to have more free time on their hand..

I totally agree, I made the assumption once that Pete (although not a minor, more a teen) was less competent than myself as I had a lot more experience, but as it happens he's very good, which was the brunt of one of our silly arguments.

I do however agree that having more time on your hands is a major factor in game creation. In my eyes Ruckage is an awesome games factory, his work is always fantastic and I play all his games regularly, and have them on my Wiz. I often wonder how He does it as I will never have the time to do all that. I have way too much going on that takes me away from development, work mainly and after that swimming (I am trying to get trim) and my boyfriend. All contribute to me having less of my own time to dev.

I remember I posted something a long time ago when it was announced that the Pandora may have a keyboard, and I said that coding on the go would be awesome, and that for me would be a very good thing as it would allow me to work on games during any free time I wished

 

[Phawx]

Well, when I say Junior..I mean like 12-13. Not late teens. Im 26 and only getting older. But kids that are 17-21 should have some means of funds other than asking for it. Either chores or a small part-time job. I mean the device was $350 for me after everything...what I got charged for. I don't think I make very much with NY/NJ taxes taken out of my salary, but after that I could still be 2 1/2 Pandora's a week.

Maybe I just don't have much debt, but I never liked buying things I couldn't afford all at once. Minus Car/House.

And of their coding skill, it really boils down to experience. Or just Savants. I've met some genius programmers that had NO common sense whatsoever...or social skills for that matter.

 

[WarmFluffyUK]

while maybe things like emulators or very technical thinsg are beyond the range of younger kids, as long as they understand how to code and implement their ideas, they may have some of the most esoteric, interesting, and enjoyable ones

Agreed, I think the kids that may have ideas are awesome, but I think your use of the word esoteric was wrong for this style of argument and pompous.

 

[Chip]

Craig introduced a casual "oh, we may have problems with the bank" half way through a post on what are your worst fears. And then he blew it up into all sorts of crapola with a freakin' riddle about 256MB. Maybe Baby! He should start writing Sarah Palin's speeches. You Betcha! And what a thread to chose it in - some well meaning user starts a negativity thread and then the head honcho uses THAT thread to spread FUD.

He also introduced some juicy unknowns - "some" credit cards will have to be "re-ordered". Without much in the way of specifics (after all he could have said "hold tight, details will be forthcoming by date X and posted on the official openpandora.org website").

You've not told me anything new with that post. Remember those teachers at school that when you asked a question again they just repeated the same answer? It's also a bit like folks who travel abroad and then speak slowly and loudly instead of trying to communicate in a different way. Sometimes it's not enough to just repeat ad nauseum.
What I told you is what I know. It's all anybody knows. As I said in the post, it's probably all Craig knows. Pandoras are supposed to start shiping in a month. Obviously they can't ship Pandoras that have not been paid for, so it behooves Openpandora to get everybody sorted out as soon as possible. If there were specific instructions or timeframes to be had, we'd have them. Since we don't, it's safe to assume that the details haven't been sorted out.

Maybe I'm just better at parsing Craig's posts. Maybe I'm more willing to assume best intentions. Either way, I don't have access to any insider info - I only know what I read in Craig's public posts for the last 48 hours. I read the same posts that everybody else read, yet I am not confused or worried. It frustrates me that where I see "Great news! Free upgrades! Possible minor inconveniance for some orders", others see "Catastrophe! All orders in danger! Your Pandora may contain extra RAM, but it may also contain doom! A secret cabal holds all the answers, but they won't tell you!".

I wouldn't mind being a "communications officer", or whatever you want to call it. I'm not sure how much it would help, since I only have access to the same info that everybody else does. It's not like I'm "on the inside", I just pay attention.

 

[TaG]

It frustrates me that where I see "Great news! Free upgrades! Possible minor inconveniance for some orders", others see "Catastrophe! All orders in danger! Your Pandora may contain extra RAM, but it may also contain doom! A secret cabal holds all the answers, but they won't tell you!".

:lol:

This whole debate is fascinating. Possibly more so because there is some truth in both sides of the argument. I tend to fall more on Chip's side of the WorryMeter - I don't particularly want to go through any grief re-ordering but it is nothing too major and the RAM upgrade is fantastic news. Ordering from the UK I assume I won't have currency issues, so I suppose that is one thing less to worry about.

The other side of the argument I agree with is that it would have been easier, and better all round, had Craig made a proper announcement - opened a thread of his own and stated exactly what he could. But then again, that doesn't appear to be his way so why expect anything different now. Perhaps he prefers informal.

 

[PoisonedV]

while maybe things like emulators or very technical thinsg are beyond the range of younger kids, as long as they understand how to code and implement their ideas, they may have some of the most esoteric, interesting, and enjoyable ones

Agreed, I think the kids that may have ideas are awesome, but I think your use of the word esoteric was wrong for this style of argument and pompous.

I just mean that- and it's not always the case- you aren't as confined in a shell as a youth, something which mosts adults after years of school and work are. are you just trying to nitpick everything I say? (rhetorical question, i know the answer)

 

[sterling976]

He also introduced some juicy unknowns - "some" credit cards may have to be "re-ordered".



Fixed that for you.

after all he could have said "hold tight, details will be forthcoming by date X and posted on the official openpandora.org website"

You mean like this? I understand wanting specifics, but let's face it, Craig probably doesn't know how this will turn out any more than anyone else right now. When that's the case, there's no sense in promising an update on a certain date, because the update may be "There's no update. Check back later."

We're not dealing with a large corporation that has PR officers scrubbing every announcement before it goes out. That's part of the excitement for me, and the reason I visit the forums. Keeping that in mind, I think the dev team is doing a pretty good job keeping their customers in the loop. We're getting a lot more information than we'd get from Nokia or T-Mobile or Apple, just to throw some names out. And we're getting it with less spin, which is refreshing.

Unfortunately, my worst Pandora fears came true yesterday when the community collectively lost its mind over news that either warranted jubilation (256MB RAM and 512 Flash) or a wait-and-see attitude (bank problems that may or may not affect some customers). It wasn't everyone, but a significant majority.

Epic fail, guys.

 

[WarmFluffyUK]

while maybe things like emulators or very technical thinsg are beyond the range of younger kids, as long as they understand how to code and implement their ideas, they may have some of the most esoteric, interesting, and enjoyable ones

Agreed, I think the kids that may have ideas are awesome, but I think your use of the word esoteric was wrong for this style of argument and pompous.

I just mean that- and it's not always the case- you aren't as confined in a shell as a youth, something which mosts adults after years of school and work are. are you just trying to nitpick everything I say? (rhetorical question, i know the answer)

Aw come on you are on a forum of mainly adults who embrace and often create new brainage and we accept new ideas at the drop of a hat. What are you really trying to say?

I think you may think that the younger are able to imagine stuff we oldies cannot. Rubbish, the only difference is your idea of trend... We are both equal to create and write.

 

[PoisonedV]

while maybe things like emulators or very technical thinsg are beyond the range of younger kids, as long as they understand how to code and implement their ideas, they may have some of the most esoteric, interesting, and enjoyable ones

Agreed, I think the kids that may have ideas are awesome, but I think your use of the word esoteric was wrong for this style of argument and pompous.

I just mean that- and it's not always the case- you aren't as confined in a shell as a youth, something which mosts adults after years of school and work are. are you just trying to nitpick everything I say? (rhetorical question, i know the answer)

Aw come on you are on a forum of mainly adults who embrace and often create new brainage and we accept new ideas at the drop of a hat. What are you really trying to say?

I think you may think that the younger are able to imagine stuff we oldies cannot. Rubbish, the only difference is your idea of trend... We are both equal to create and write.

This is the internet- you really need to stop taking everything so personally. If you deny that there is an inherently different creative output between children adults, you are entirely wrong.

nobodies waging a warfare against 'oldies' here so stop putting words into my mouth

 

[(naw)mcx]

while maybe things like emulators or very technical thinsg are beyond the range of younger kids, as long as they understand how to code and implement their ideas, they may have some of the most esoteric, interesting, and enjoyable ones

Agreed, I think the kids that may have ideas are awesome, but I think your use of the word esoteric was wrong for this style of argument and pompous.

I just mean that- and it's not always the case- you aren't as confined in a shell as a youth, something which mosts adults after years of school and work are. are you just trying to nitpick everything I say? (rhetorical question, i know the answer)

Aw come on you are on a forum of mainly adults who embrace and often create new brainage and we accept new ideas at the drop of a hat. What are you really trying to say?

I think you may think that the younger are able to imagine stuff we oldies cannot. Rubbish, the only difference is your idea of trend... We are both equal to create and write.


Us young 'uns can only think of killing, I'm afraid. It's all the violent killing games, the news says so!

And why would the news lie?

:rolleyes:

 

[jdh2550]

He also introduced some juicy unknowns - "some" credit cards may have to be "re-ordered".



Fixed that for you.

Why thank-you, so kind.

QUOTE

after all he could have said "hold tight, details will be forthcoming by date X and posted on the official openpandora.org website"

You mean like this? I understand wanting specifics, but let's face it, Craig probably doesn't know how this will turn out any more than anyone else right now. When that's the case, there's no sense in promising an update on a certain date, because the update may be "There's no update. Check back later."

Nope, not like that. Not buried in a thread. Up on the official website for all to see. I'm not looking for "insider information" I'm looking for a trusted communication channel that simply states the facts as clearly as possible and gives me some clue as to when I might see an update or what I'm supposed to do and by when. If I come back and I see "check back later, say X days time" then there's nothing wrong with that.

But I've flogged this dead horse enough. I just hope that (a) their email server doesn't crash like it did last time & (B) the gods of fate smile kindly on me as they did last time and that my order doesn't end up in bit heaven (or byte hell?).

 

[DAP]

Wow, this thread has wandered WAY off topic.
Back on topic now:

I fear that the Pandora will be delivered the day before Thanksgiving when I am out of town, and sit on my doorstep for 5 days during which time 5 inches of rain will fall.