https://forums.butterflylabs.com/announcements/692-bfl-asic-status-3.html#post31814

BFL_Josh: "10 May 2013 Update

Another busy week here at the labs. We continued to refine the LS/S/MR boards while waiting for our next delivery of chips. We expected them today, Friday the 10th, but the packager has been dragging their feet in the process (and one of the reasons we initiated the switch to a new packaging facility, as mentioned previously). The first bulk shipment from the new packaging house is expected on Tuesday and should consist of several hundred chips, which we will be building into all the product lines, assuming no snags are encountered this weekend on the latest rev of the LS/S/MR boards. If there is a blocking problem, we will build them all into 5 GH/s units, but we don't expect any blocking issues at this point.

The rest of the wafers are expected at the bumping facility the following week, and once bumped, they will head to the new packaging facility which is capable of a much higher volume, so we expect them to be packaged pretty quickly and ready for use after they arrive at the facility."

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https://forums.butterflylabs.com/bfl-forum-miscellaneous/2604-10-may-2013-update.html#post31821

BFL_Josh: " Originally Posted by RG.

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"The first bulk shipment from the new packaging house is expected on Tuesday and should consist of several hundred chips, which we will be building into all the product lines"

What happened to the chips you already had? why are we expecting a new bulk shippment? Maybe has been answered but, really... no time for reading every thread.

Nothing happened to them, we've been working through them working the bugs out of the packaging and various other things. One was burnt for testing, one is at the new packaging facility and the rest are at the old packaging facility. We will likely be transferring what's left to the new packaging facility.

The rest of the wafers refers to the remainder of the 75, or a at least a large portion thereof."

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https://forums.butterflylabs.com/bfl-forum-miscellaneous/2604-10-may-2013-update-7.html#post32042

BFL_Josh: "Well, I was going to pick on post and reply to it as representative of the rest of the questions, but there isn't really a point in picking one post.

Here's the deal: We are not going to provide minute by minute accounts of our comings and goings. We are not going to provide detailed numbers with regards to what we are working on or shipping. It's really as simple as that. It's just not something a company does. I have tried it in the past and been burned on it when I have given out numbers that have changed and thus the numbers I gave out originally are no longer accurate. I've said it before and I will say it again: That is not going to happen going forward if I have anything to say about it. If I could give a number or a date that I was 100% confident in meeting, then I would. However, as the past few months has shown us, I simply can't be sure of any dates I have with 100% confidence right now, thus I'm not going to give dates or numbers. If I give a date or a number that does not have the caveat "should be," "hope to," etc... around it, then you can be sure I am pretty darned confident in that date or number. If not, then the number or date is subject to change. I always wondered why companies weren't more open with their customers and now I understand why.

Like I said, going forward, future products are going to be shipping "when they are done" if I have anything to say about it.

Nothing good has ever come of me giving out numbers or dates. Just look at the issues people are focusing on now, because I gave numbers for chips and wafers. Now everyone wants to know the disposition of every chip in every wafer and where they went, what they are doing now, what they've eaten for breakfast and when their last BM was. It's a nightmare. If I could go back and do it again I would absolutely not have given wafer counts or chips per wafer and everyone would be just as happy (or not) as they are now. We have given far, far too much insight into our process and it's burned us many times over and it won't be happening again in the future.

Some people are great, understanding and intelligent, and I am happy to share details with those people. I would love to talk shop with those people, explain the problems we are facing and use the collective wisdom of those people. Some people... aren't any of those things and the spoil it for everyone. I don't see any way to separate the intelligent people from the useless people who just want to complain and wreck excellent discourse for everyone else. I could potentially create a forum where you have to be given access, but that seems to be very labor intensive and the content would certainly make it's way into the public, so we'd be right back in the same boat we are in now. I honestly don't see a way around it. It's a real shame that there are people who can't have a civil, intelligent discussion, but it's the internet and everyone has an opinion, no matter how worthless it is, and they feel the need and entitlement to express it to anyone and everyone."

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https://forums.butterflylabs.com/bfl-forum-miscellaneous/2604-10-may-2013-update-11.html#post32250

BFL_Josh: "Originally Posted by swissminer

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Hi Josh
I understand your frustration. Having worked in IT as an engineer and project management consultant, I believe that you could not survive in a corporate environment if you would tell your customers or superiors, it is done when it is done.
Certainly there were numerous key mistakes made along the process or BFL would not be in this situation. Giving a concise end date, when really overall schedule uncertainty was in the order of >100% was one of them.

Huh... my past employment history would seem to disagree with your assessment. I have told many a supervisor that it will be done when it's done. That's the thing about being in a position where your skills are valued and you aren't just another cog in the machine. You are the one driving the timeline, because you produce results. If someone is telling you when something will be done, you aren't the one delivering results... the guy or gal telling you when to do it is the one delivering results. You're just a replaceable part at that point."