Indeed!  I'm old, been through this many times.  Regardless of what is causing problems:

Don't publicize a release date because of uncertainties and the World will give you a thousand reasons why you are wrong and should have given a date.

Publicize a release date and then miss it because of uncertainties and the the same World will criticize you a thousand times for missing the date.

Adjust the design(s) to accommodate the uncertainties and make your release date, and the same World will criticize you a thousand times for all the missing design elements while waiting for the upgrades.

Pre-assign serial numbers to pre-orders and publish them and the World will criticize you a thousand times when the production pace does not keep up with expectations.  When pre-orders cancel, the rest of the list will criticize you for not adjusting the serial number sequence so "they can get a lower number."  If you adjust the sequence, the rest of the list will criticize you because they now can't track production rates.

Publish weekly reports detailing problems, progress or the lack thereof, and estimated release date and the World will have a thousand complaints about your lack of progress, missing the release date, and spelling, grammar, frequency, and content of your reports.

Please post if you ever find a "win" in any of these scenarios, I never have.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 8/10/2020 6:54 AM, Dave wrote:
Bob

I’ll chime in.

If a company gives a forecasted ship date and misses the mark for any reason, 
including unforeseen circumstances that company would be “burned at the stake”. 
 I have seen it before. So with COVID-19 the big wildcard, it is virtually 
impossible to predict any long term forecast.

Some hams treat a projected date as written in stone.

Dave wo2x

Sent from my waxed string and tin cans.

On Aug 10, 2020, at 2:04 AM, K5WA <[email protected]> wrote:

After listening to Eric’s EXPO presentation, I thought I heard him say 
Elecraft would have an API for developers to develop remote software for the 
K4.  I take that to mean that Elecraft will NOT have their own remote software 
offering so you must buy a K4/0 until software is available from 3rd parties.   
I had understood previously that Elecraft would actually have their own 
software available around the ship date of the K4 so I’ve been planning for 
that in my remote project.  I guess I’ll have to switch gears and delay my 
remote project further.  I was hoping to have it installed this year.



On the K4 delivery issue, since the Group 1 purchasers are a known lot, it 
seems that any group that is full and finite should be able to be given a 
number (maybe even the actual/projected S/N) so that, for example, as people on 
this reflector announce that they received S/N 25 and your number was 50, you’d 
have a clue that your rig was getting close.  Ideally, with supply chains 
running smoothly, Elecraft could show their production projections by S/N or at 
least an estimated units per week forecast as they ramp up.  I realize the 
exact S/N may change due to special circumstances, but at least we’d have a 
ballpark pecking order of when to sit at the mailbox looking down the street 
(longingly) for a delivery truck.  I’m not aware of a downside to letting folks 
know their actual or approximate spot in line.  We all know Gavin Newsome and 
Dr. Faucci have the largest influence on delivery dates but I’d sure like to 
have a wee bit more transparency from Elecraft about our investment.



I know there will be folks telling me to sit tight (as I have for the last 15+ 
months), they’re coming, but since late August is still the announced best 
guess for first production shipments, Elecraft surely has internal forecasts by 
now that could be parceled out to folks on the waiting list.  Heck, I’ll even 
volunteer to be the body that tabulates the list if Elecraft wants to put me to 
work.  (I’m guessing there are 500-1000 units in Group 1?)



Semi-patiently waiting,  😉



Bob K5WA


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