Read it.
So...not only is it a four year wait...thus far...
With an initial cost of $1800 + CDN a unit.
Now they figure after people have preordered an ungodly sum...
that they should just throw more money at this sinkhole...by doing a kickstarter fund raiser?????

Really?! ?!?!?!!

Incredible.

As it stands...for 2 grand CDN ...
comparably one could buy...what...? :
1 1/2 ounces of gold... really...
A used car less than 10 years old in very good shape...
Take a decent vacation ..
Pay one's yearly property taxes on their city house ..
Buy a decent laptop...
Buy how many crap $50-$100 phones? With almost comparable specs?! ?!!?!??

Asking anymore we may as well start comparing the escalating costs to manned space missions.

I am just guessing here...

But...if a kickstarter is needed...it is just a guess...that the final cost for the people investing in this is going to escalate...
And my guess again is that if a kickstarter is needed...
The funds that people started throwing at this project 4 years ago is either at best :
A- not enough to continue with what everyone believed was "next stage payment" ...when it came time...
4 years of paying for people's work on the project.. supplies and parts...but most importantly 4 years of wages...I think have eaten a great deal of the project preorder funds.
Or...
B- possibly eaten severely away.

But there is no way of knowing just how fiscally fluid the project is...
Because disclosure of what there is remaining ...hasn't been given.

If this new guy.. and good for him...he has his heart in the right place...
But...
From a marketing standpoint...
His update...is an example of terrible salesmanship.
A kickstarter at this point is going to be a hard sell...
-especially after the statement in the same update that there are no guarantees of project completion and success....STILL.
One would think after 4 years of this merry go round ...that there would be a little more certainty of project completion...by flippin' now
Forget the fact of trying to sell a kickstarter to tell people to dump MORE money into...as a fundraiser...
Most of whom have already done just that.
I myself initially put down half the cost for one.
Think I am going to throw more?
..think the people who have already thrown hefty chunks of money at this project can just throw more ?
At a fundraiser?
Now?
At this point?
With still an undisclosed finish date..?....
undisclosed total of the preorder funds left at this time? ...
Undisclosed FINAL cost per unit?
And uncertain STILL as to the project success?
Mr. New Guy Marketer...
Your update is not a moving and motivating sales pitch.
Definitely though ...
Negative attention marketing does catch attention...
And I cannot say what the update contains is positive ..past the technical good news...
Wow..
This IS a new development. Nothing was mentioned at anytime that a fundraiser was to be needed half way through the project...
..the next stage of payment needed ...yes...but this new thing about a kickstarter ...


Want to even remotely hope for a few to throw more money ...
Better start selling rainbows...

I think at this juncture...
After 4 years of waiting..
Clear and transparent language.
Clear and transparent timeline.
Clear and transparent pricing.
Clear and transparent disclosure of funds ...period.
Consistent updates.
I do believe that those who have supported this project and thrown a good chunk of money at to make happen...deserve that much...at bloody least.

And finally...
As far as rebuttals go from project members..
I don't want to see even a whisper of attitude.
not only a staunch project supporter for years ..
but I have been paying...along with many others ...the wages ...however great or small...for this project...for YEARS now...
Clear ...polite.. understanding ...empathic ...answers .....need to start happening.