[Elecraft] OK, Children - Listen Up!

[DW Holtman]

Rick,

Right on! Well stated, you are absolutely correct. Everyone who is not happy 
with the waiting list, has the option of getting a refund. People who 
already have the K3, I'm sure can sell it for more than they paid due to the 
very high demand. Go to Kenwood or anyone else and try to get information on 
their mostly inferior products  and future developments.

I'm very impressed with a company sponsored forum and enjoy reading the 
posts at least the ones that are informative. This is a hobby that I enjoy 
and I'll be dammed if I'm going to get all stressed out about waiting for 
product development.

Best,
DW Holtman
WB7SSN


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rick Tavan N6XI" <rtavan at gmail.com>
To: "Elecraft Reflector" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 9:43 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] OK, Children - Listen Up!


>A few of you have expressed grave disappointment that Elecraft has been
> unable to predict future availability accurately. Some of you have even
> suggested that this is part of some kind of nefarious plot. I assure you 
> it
> is not. If you can not tolerate delays in the delivery of new technology, 
> I
> urge you to vote with your checkbooks. Simply refrain from ordering these
> new products, cancel your delayed orders if you must and, above all, hold
> your tongues. This reflector is sponsored by Elecraft as a forum for
> exchange of hints and kinks and a channel for both formal and informal
> support. I find it amazing that they have not yet chosen to make it a
> moderated forum where someone can censor the cheap shots that have, 
> frankly,
> gotten out of hand. My Mom taught me "If you can't say something nice, 
> don't
> say anything at all." Of course, that advice does not hold universally but
> in a public forum like an email reflector it should be a cardinal rule. 
> How
> would you like it if someone posted billboards on your house announcing
> every mistake you had ever made? What if some of them were inaccurate,
> incorrect or marginally libelous?  One of my mentors in business, a highly
> decorated entrepreneur, media pundit and investor, taught his people to
> "Praise publicly, criticize privately." Please take that
> advice.Thisreflector is one of the great things about Elecraft and I
> urge you all to think
> three times before posting criticisms: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it
> helpful? If the answer to any of these questions is "no" or "maybe," be a
> decent human being, give them the benefit of the doubt and don't post it.
> Send email directly to Elecraft instead. They will read it and respond
> appropriately.
>
> Elecraft is a company, a collection of imperfect individuals trying hard 
> to
> do as a team what no one person could do alone. They make mistakes as we 
> all
> do. I have never seen another company so willing to admit their mistakes 
> and
> inform their public. Yes, they have published some bad news. In fact, they
> publish more bad news about product development delays than many companies
> ... because most companies don't publish bad news at all! Nor do they
> provide a public forum where their failings can be discussed as easily as
> their successes. I admire Elecraft and wish all my other vendors were as
> candid. Heck, I wish any of my other vendors were as candid.
>
> If you can't tolerate product delays, don't order new stuff. Don't order
> anything unless it is available off the shelf. Given the vitriol of some 
> on
> this reflector, I should advise them never to order anything without a
> signed, custom contract of performance. They won't get such a contract 
> from
> ham radio vendors but they won't be let down, either.
>
> Elecraft has delivered a series of outstanding products and developed a
> well-deserved reputation for technical excellence, product innovation and
> the finest support in the amateur radio product business. The K3 is the 
> best
> radio I have ever used, right now and despite lacking a few promised
> features. In fact, I was able to say that six months ago when it had far
> more rough edges than remain today. I, too, pine for the sub-receiver. I
> even sold my FT-1000MP to make room for the K3, knowing full well that 
> until
> the sub came out I was compromising my ability to work split-frequency DX
> pileups. I can deal with that. If you can't, just wait.
>
> But above all, please be civil. The Elecraft team are a handful of the
> finest engineers, business people and human beings I have had the pleasure
> to know. They do not always deliver their dreams on schedule but they
> definitely do deliver and they deserve better treatment than some of you 
> are
> dishing out on this reflector which they sponsor. The majority of
> contributors to the reflector make me proud to be a customer. The few 
> whose
> whining, accusations and rants are spoiling this corner of our hobby make 
> me
> ashamed of the low level of social training some of us received as 
> children.
> Please take your venom elsewhere.
>
> Now, can we return to our regularly scheduled programming of Elecraft
> product questions and answers, hints and kinks and general good will?
>
> Thanks and 73,
>
> /Rick N6XI
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