from what i heard, they took a poll/vote as to releasing the hardware without the software, or wait till the software was done and then ship. i never saw that poll but i would rather have the hardware 1st, as then i was able to test fit stuff and install drivers etc. also, if the hardware is in customers hands, they cant be accused of mining on them while delays (real or imagined) happen.
but i do know what you mean. could of been handled better but hey it is what it is. those who wanted refunds got them.
messing with the alpha stuff is fun (to me at least) but yeah, hardware that more or less just sits there and blinks lights at you while producing nothing isnt the greatest advertisement for a company.
I would 100% have voted yes for such a pool, but the fact that i was not told by email, or their website that there was a pool, and thereby not allowed to put in my vote, again just tells me its too closed.
I love messing with alpha stuff, but when the customers have to beg others for a link to a private discord with all the info they need from the company they bought from, the fun goes away, they could have been open about this and just given us that link manny months ago, I feel like the best i can do now is not open the packaging it will just degrade my posible selling price.