Offer version 2 free to all existing customers as compensation.

M0GVZ

Given the fact that Flex are now 5 months behind the roadmap for ver 1.4 with no schedule given for release, I feel that Flexradio should offer Version 2 of SmartSDR for free to existing customers as compensation for the failed promises which have been made over the last few months. 

I doubt given the farcical situation that has existed with version 1.4 that many people are going to be willing to shell out money for version 2 just go through the whole dog and pony show all over again.

K6OZY

/facepalm

G4YDO

here, here. great idea.

K6OZY

http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2008/05/hear-hear.html

SteveJ

This is the typical Flex Kool - Aid drinker reply.

Alan C

Sort of reminds me of fishing - you know (for fish).

I guess GVZ wants Flex to fish faster...

W5XZ - dan

it HAS been a while...

WA6FXT Mike

You tell'em GVZ! teach them a lesson and don't buy the v2.0 upgrade. that will teach them. Heck, show them that you won't be kept waiting, by keeping your Flex @ v1.3.8., when v1.4 comes out. That will do it. de Mike wa6fxt

WA6FXT Mike

And my 6700 still works great! Mike

John n0snx

This is so good that I have nothing to add.... Well done

Guess I might have to break out the cheese again!!

k3Tim

Actually the "delay" is costing FRS big cash.  Imagine you have 5 programmers at $125k/yr each (TAXes + overhead + salary) and you hit a bump in the road that delays a revenue product (S-SDR-2.0) by 6 months.  That's a lot of capitol to shell out to pay the bills in hte interim.

Maybe it's just me, but US$200 to keep the product viable and the good people at FRS going strong is good insurance.

Please be advised there were no promises, only estimates.  In the field of complex software and firmware, a hard deadline is just not realistic.  FYI - this area is the day job for me so it's not Kool-Aid but decades of experience.


Take Care / Relax / Don't Worry

Good Day,
k3Tim     / MS-EE / PE / PPSEL-IFR

Bill -VA3WTB

This is one of most entertaining Ideas I have read in a while. You still think someone owes you? Did you guys not see what Gerald wrote the other day on where things are on 1.4?

Keep the ideas going guys this is funny reading....

Lee - N2LEE

Has nothing about being a Kool-aid drinker. Many of us are tired of hearing people whine like a bunch of babies.

No MATTER what Flex does there will always be someone who complains.

Flex will do what is best for the company, their employees and their customers. Crying, stomping your feet and holding your breath and posting the same topic over and over (that has been talked to death) does nothing to contribute.

I predict when 1.4 is released someone will complain it doesn't have this feature or it doesn't work like they want.

So it doesn't matter whether SmartSDR 2.x is an optional upgrade or if they put it in every cereal box.  SOMEONE WILL COMPLAIN.

WA2SQQ

We have a better chance of having peace in the Middle East than seeing 1.4 soon. I know of three people who purchase the Anan because of the lack of full disclosure by FRS.

Jay -- N0FB

I never felt like I had the right to anyone's hard work with the exception of my own.  I work at a company which provides Health Care across North America.  I expect our customer's who utilize the talents of our companies' Doctors, Nurses, and facilities to pay for those services we provided. 

As far as I know, Flex Radio has never "Promised" anything.   They offered a road map to the user community with their best guess estimates as to when certain releases would be made available.  This is unheard of in the Amateur Radio business.  Was Flex Radio wrong on its estimate for this last release? Yep!  I'm sure that Gerald feels bad about missing that estimated release date.  I'm sure he is as frustrated as anyone (if not more) as this extra development time is a very expensive. 

These negative, non-productive threads are getting old.  

Jay Nation

Every day is just a day, but does it have to be everyday?

Let the Kool-aid Spewing Begin!

Put some **** in mine this round!

Jay Nation

Why just fish, when others Troll?

Peter

So that I don't get yell at, I won't comment on the v.1.4 delay issue. Has anyone seen the SunSDR-MB1 SDR radio with knobs ?  nice radio!

Peter
ve3pcd

Steve W6SDM

I just can't believe there are so many impatient people.  I guess that's one of the differences between amateur radio 50 years ago and today.  We had to build our gear and wait until it was done before we got on the air.  We turned it on and waited for the filaments to warm up the tubes.  Instant gratification didn't exist in ham radio or most anywhere else.

The complainers don't know for sure what all is included in 1.4 - they just know they want it, all of it, whatever it is, for free, right now.  When it comes down to it, what we see here isn't much different than the ills we see in society in general. 

I am looking forward to 1.4 not for the features but because it will keep the whiners quiet trying to figure it out... for a while.

DrTeeth

Flex never made promises. They provided best estimates in **good faith**. I am very disappointed at the delay as indeed I would say are most people, INCLUDING those at FRS. The delay could have been handled better on a public relations level, but this is the first big delay that there has ever been AIUI (no doubt will be corrected if wrong).

I do not expect, nor would I want or request that FRS provides v2 for free. It is in all of our interests for FRS to continue trading and if they want our cash they will work a darn site harder on v2 to tempt us to part with it than if they were to give it away. That is a good incentive for an exciting v2.

It is a learning curve for FRS too on many levels.

<<I doubt given the farcical situation that has existed with version 1.4 that many people are going to be willing to shell out money for version 2 just go through the whole dog and pony show all over again>>
Bzzzzt! Wrong.

Dan -- KC4GO

For Flex Management 
Can I pay for my 2.0 now I trust it's coming and willing to pay now.
Dan --- KC4GO

Reggie-k6xr

THIS IS HORRIBLE. Folks need to work and support themselves and be able to give back to others. I want to support them in their  efforts to create. 

Mike NN9DD

I will gladly pay my 200 today Mike N9DFD Proud user and owner of a multi contest winning 6500

Richard G7EIX

There are times when I am actually ashamed to be British.

Lee - N2LEE

That is why there is Icom, Yaseu, Kenwood and Alinco.
And guess what ?  I know hams who have owned them all and found something they didn't like about every one of them.

One friend of mine who is a software engineer even wrote Icom offering to fix bugs in the firmware of their IC-7700.

If you want a science project do serious research into the Anan. There are so many problems with the hardware that many serious users have taken the boards and built the into a new case with addition shielding to fix some of the problems. There are firmware patches and updates every week and software updated daily.

There is no question some hams enjoy getting into their radio, making mods, testing the latest Alpha or Beta software, etc. The Anon reminds me of the early days of home computing and most likely will be remember in history like Altair and others.

• Do we all want more features from our Flex 6000 ?  YES
• Do we all wish it would have been available at release of the hardware? YES

Here is a question for users to think about.
When you look at the big picture and are ready to place a bet on a company do you look at todays product or their strategy and ability to execute on that strategy ?

If you said the product "they offer today" then you would have written off Apple, IBM, Google and Microsoft.

Apple was written off as a toy, the IBM PC was released with a buggy version of DOS 1.0 from Microsoft who bought the code from Seattle Computer Products and Google was a search engine created by two research students. Their early products were crude, buggy and NO ONE saw where these companies or products would end up.

So complain all you want about Flex and their product releases, the fact that they are trying to build a long term business on commercial grade hardware and a solid software platform tells me they are the right horse to put my money on.

If waiting a few months from a company that produces this



VS

This




Then I am fine with the wait.

Where would you put your money ?

DrTeeth

Giving compensation for an Act of God aka the weather? Maybe the Churches, Synagogues and Mosques should pay the compensation? Madness IMHO.
Actually, one has to admire the brass balls of FRS for not bowing to the considerable pressure to release before they are ready. In fact, the longer the delay the more I admire them - never thought I would say that.

Jay Nation

Weekends are for Whining!

Steve W6SDM

Don't worry, Richard.  We have long since forgiven you chaps for burning the White House in 1812. 

Neal_K3NC

SQQ, your insight of internal Flex matters is amazing! I am sure you are absolutely correct that we will not see 1.4 anytime soon. I do plan on checking back with you when they finally do release it so you can do a "victory lap"!

Jay Nation

Maybe you could crowd source a partial refund. I bet theres lots of people that wouldn't mind helping you OUT.

WA6FXT Mike

Heck, I ordered my additional upgrade in May of 2012, when I ordered the radio,