These comments are NOT directed at anyone here on AP, but a generalisation about every waiting/enthusiastic person so to speak in the pinball industry.lol
I think the pinball community is one of the hardest customer communitys in the world to keep happy. Firstly, when it comes to pinball machines, everyone has their version or opinion as to what is or isnt the worlds most perfect pinball machine. People nit-pik the smallest of features, then want or dont want everything and anything in a pinball machine, and then have very specific ideas about marketing, or non marketing, delivery times, how a machine is produced or not produced, who designs it or doesnt design it, gee we are a hard batch of people to keep happy i can tell you.
I wonder sometimes if the pinball companies think the pinball community are nutters, or just full of passion, and/or are hard task masters, or just a batch of whinging bastards who can never be made to be kept happy. I am sure pinball enthususiasts are certainly not deemed to be timid, quiet or laidback with their customer feedback or ideas. Just thinking about the correspondence these poor bastards at Stern or JJP get makes me want to take 5 valium.lol
I think sometimes its both comical, sad and human nature that grown men, probably in their dozens, if not hundreds, have written to JJP and have demanded, if not at least have pushed extremely very hard to know when exactly the machine is coming.
I see a picture in my head of people all sitting around a huge kitchen table, with knife n fork in hand, aiming up in the air like guns ready for action, like they are waiting hungry for their dinner to arive from the JJP kitchen, but the thing to remember, is that JJP are serving up a pinball machine, made of wood and wires, not a food product, but everyone wants the machine yesterday, like its their last meal, like they are starving, and its the only meal, which means life or death if u dont get that WOZ sustanence on time. lol Everyone forgets, incl me sometimes, its only a pinball machine, a luxury item, something that isnt going to make or break a life, if its here today or not.
But when we want our new pinball machines, we want them NOW. Its our new big toy. Men like their toys.
We are a tough crowd to please. If only I could draw a picture and add it to the computer, you would see the cartoon in my head, of people desperate for the WOZ feed. Jack's dressed as a waiter, with his finger pointed to his watch, with the production staff all dressed as chefs and kitchen staff all running around the huge pinball kitchen putting out fires.lol
Then, the meal arrives, phewww, its all over, or is it.
Now its time to tell the chef if the meal is or isnt up to scratch. Jack serving the main meal, and shipping out the product isnt the end, its just the start for the poor bastard, he hasnt been critiqued yet on the meal, his nightmare has only just begun.lol
Something tells me he will be ringing Gary Stern, and asking how the hell have you been doing this for all these years and you havent gone completely crazy. Gary replies, you should see the medication I take daily just to go into the factory, just to be able to deal with the nutty pinball community.
Jack, get ready for alot of grey hair mate. Its coming, if it hasnt already started to overtake and dominate your hair colour.
