Just a couple quick comments from me, as we're waiting to see how this all pans out...
First, this was never meant to be the start of a flame war towards anyone. It's a little tough to say anything that doesn't sound like that in a situation such as this, as everything is individual. I can't say ORA screwed up, without it sounding like a direct attack at DT. I can't say anything about about US without it sounding like a direct attack at Alex. And never was it my intention to attack an individual personally. Not in a flaming, uncalled for way, at least. For those who saw it that way, just know it wasn't my intention, and accept my apology.
Second, that being said, I don't regret any of my statements as far as what I said. How I phrased it, maybe, but not the statements themselves. Everything was said based on a pattern (see Shadeslinger's posts on what pattern I'm referring to. He lays them out far more humorously than I) and a history of events. I still think this has drawn out far too long, and I still think trust and faith is misplaced in many cases. But I do understand a bit better why certain things have gone on as long as they have, and all I can say is a little more communication would have gone a long way towards keeping this pot from the boiling point it has reached on occasion.
This is the flaw inherent in a board and community such as this. We're all friends and fellow fans (and smiths, in some cases), right up until we pay someone someone for their services. Then we become business associates, not friends. Until it's done, and the goods are delivered, but even then the friendship has been altered toward the business side. If you ask me for help installing a board, and I say "sure, send it over and I'll do it for you, no cost." Well, that's just one guy doing another guy a solid. Which is cool, and there are usually no ramifications. But the minute I ask for money, even if it is $.50, you become my client, my customer, and I have an obligation to get you what you want in a timely fashion. That's what happened here. I don't care if someone only paid five cents, or if they (like myself) are into this project for nearly a grand at this point, we all have the same rights. and we have been delayed, deceived and misled time after time. Many of us have asked for our sabers, offering to pay for shipping again, to get them to us, and we'd get them assembled elsewhere. We're usually met with silence or hostility. We have been extremely patient. We have been extremely understanding. I applaud the amount of restraint and patience I've seen here (not always applicable to myself, unfortunately). But I think we're all to the enough is enough stage. I'm hoping this is really getting worked out. I really am. But part of me is kicking and screaming, unwilling to believe they are even at the post office at this point. Because we've all heard it before. And we're not ready to wait months again, hoping for good news that rarely comes....
To all you folks at Ultrasabers, I have enough of your product to know you do great work. And I've had issues that have been worked out smoothly, so I know you care about customer service. I admire that you've taken a fun hobby and turned it into a business, catering to the geekiness inside us. I apologize to you if you feel I was attacking you. I'm hoping that this gets worked out for your sake, as well as all of ours.
To the mods I've talked to about this situation on this board, thank you for your patience, honesty and communication, even when you often know as much as the rest of us. Which is to say, not much. You're mods for a reason, and you do your jobs well.
To the rest of us, I'm hoping against hope that we all come out of this with our sabers. I feel like, should we all get them, we should get together and throw a huge party.
I'll try to stay clm, and be less vocal in the meantime. Or at least less antagonistic. You all deserve that much.