Archive of the former Yahoo!Groups mailing list: MOTM

First off, glad to see the list become active for a change :) Instead of me just
babbling.

a) I don't want anyone to feel that this is some sort of old farts club with a
secret handshake. And, despite the contrary, I ∗want∗ to hear negative feedback,
because in general

1 - I will agree with you 99% of the time
2 - how do I know what 'bugs you' if you never tell me?

b) concerning Frac modules - please chant this as a mantra:

1 - this was ∗not my idea at all∗. This is business agreement between MOTM and
Analogue Haven. They set price/margins/which modules to ship, not me.
2 - to assume that 5U MOTM, with an installed base approaching 8,000 modules
spread over 600+ users, will be abandoned is, well, nonsense.

c) concerning MOTM pricing: I never claimed to be cheap, I never ∗wanted∗ to be
cheap. That market is widely covered by 7 people. The MOTM market is:
Serge/Modcan B/maybe Buchla if you like bug music. Technosaurus (remember them)
was there for 20 months, but the designer had 2 kids within a 14 month period
and went kaput (well, his WIFE did). But, as the 'novelist' pointed out, MOTM
is/was never set up as a business. ESPECIALLY for assembled module customers
(judging from his comments, he would be one). Should I spend more time on the
website? Certainly. But not now :) In fact, EVERYTHING he said was 99% true, I
see one thing in there that I disagree with. And what I am finding out, that for
∗this period in time∗, potential customers like him DO NOT buy MOTM because of
the points stated. Which is why I am going to address them beginning Feb. 1st (I
like to call it MOTM 2.0)

d) concerning selling pc boards: I have ∗already stated∗ that I will be sell the
pcb + bracket + panel for $79 (1U modules) and $89 (2U modules). Not the blank
boards. I'm going to make these up and sell them with quick and easy shipping.
Now, about the discontinued models: it will depend on what is left after
Christmas when all is said and done with Indiana getting out of the kitting and
shipping everything back to me. I ∗MAY∗ have stuff left over, I may not. I ∗MAY∗
decide to sell it, I may not. If people want to "play the game" of not ordering
a full kit now in anticipation of the $79/$89 stuff (which won't be until Feb.
1st) that's a gamble you can decide to take or not.

I agree that I need to spend most of my time designing. I ∗do∗ think that I have
the best PR going (compare MOTM mentions in magazines to say, .com - I have been
in EM, Mix, Recording, TapeOP and Keyboard 22 times, .com maybe once?). If
anything, I probably "oversold" MOTM a few years ago. Because for 14 months, I
was doing MOTM 100% of the time and there was a definite panic factor (BTW: over
those 14 months, I ∗lost∗ $23,455).

I apologized if I seem smug or arrogant sometimes (most EEs are, nature of the
beast). I can't control a LOT of factors, but overall I think I've done a fair
job (I'll give myself an 88/100). The goal for MOTM 2.0 is to be more like a
'real' company, so that the average person considering MOTM will have a solid,
predictable basis to make a purchasing decision.

Now, will you folks ∗please∗ beta test the V1.3 MOTM-650 code so I can release
it?

Paul S.