I agree with pbpete.

All we keep hearing is how clever JJ is, how loaded he is, and what an astute businessman he is.
What i keep seeing however is excuses and validation of his  fund raising requirements and basic business rookie errors.

If i was a multi millionare and wanted to do this, i would get a game done and
finished and then get it out there and sell the thing based on its merits. If you had the funds
and the belief in your product, then you should have zero hesitation in doing that.

spot on Wotto.
I think JJP hedged his bets. He asked for pre-orders etc upfront when he probably could have easily afforded to start this project without other peoples money. The software should have been started very early versus later. What he could have/should have done was to work on a basic operating system first, which then gets reshaped slightly for the next title, got that platform working first, then announced the JJP WOZ business model etc. It wasnt like he wasnt going to always need that pinball platform no matter what.
I wonder if they hacked/or could have hacked a Stern machine to copy the style of code, or at least copy alot of the foundation stuff to give them a much bigger headstart etc ?

If JJP had of come out of the starting blocks, announced all this new stuff, delivered on time, or before time with an exceptional product (widebody - LCD 26inch screen - 3 playfields - interactive toys - RGP Leds - Clear inserts - better cabinet graphics etc etc etc) then JJP would have made Stern look old hat, but by being so so very late, they now get lumped into the category of being no different to any other pinball manufacturer. **The problem here, is JJP wanted to be recognised as different, very different to anyone else in the industry. This has backfired. They now look the same, or even less productive than Stern. That may haunt them for a while.

.....And I know people will say that JJP was a start up compared to Stern, BUT it dont matter, cause when u come out n say u are going to be bigger, better, smarter than the competition, u have to deliver.
It wont matter when the machine is finally out, or will it. I see 50 percent less people putting money down perhaps on the next title, and will only committ to purchase once the machine is out.
I cancelled my WOZ order, cause of repeated delays and now want to see the machine first. I wonder how many othersd have pulled the pin...