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Subject: 
Re: Does anybody actually know Mr Justus?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.lego.direct
Date: 
Wed, 21 Jun 2000 18:53:40 GMT
Viewed: 
1001 times
  
In lugnet.lego.direct, Brian Lanning writes:
In lugnet.lego.direct, Eric Kingsley writes:
Its funny,  they actually did fix one of the errors right away.  The picture
for the 2x8 brick pack was actually a 2x10.  That was mentioned here and
fixed very quickly.

That error actually showed the wrong piece whereas the other errors we've
mentioned have been in color and nomenclature.  Although we would argue that
the low slope apex brick is the wrong brick, it can be used (in most cases) in
place of the medium slope brick.

I think I would have a differance of oppinion with you on the degree of slope
in the peek.  First it is the wrong part if what they are shipping is the low
slope peek and 2 I would say for me the medium slope peek can NOT be used in
most cases as a replacement for the 45 degree peek.  Thats mostly because I
usually have at least 1 90 degree turn in my roofs and that can only be done
with the 45 degree slopes.


I wonder if they really thought we were talking about 1x4x3 thin walls when we
said train windows.  Did they really mean to give us a train window and got it
wrong?

My guess is yes although that would mean they didn't do their homework very
well.  For someone that only got into train recently I have known what a train
window is for a much longer time and would have never suspected that it could
be confused for a 1x4x3 thin wall.


I would think they would fix the page although I think they must be pretty
embarrased by the errors.  I think the fact that they can't tell the
differances in the slope of roof peeks to be pretty alarming.  Luckly I have
lots of extra peeks so I don't need 45 degree peeks.  I don't know if LD
knows
how limiting it can be in making complex roofs without the correct degree of
slope on the roof.

I bet there are several powers at work.  Obviously, they know about making
complex roof designs.  Just look at the models lego builds!  I bet this was an
IT issue.  The two pages with brick pictures were ASP pages.  Why?  Why not
simple html that could be cooked up in 10 minutes?  I suspect that we're
seeing part of a larger IIS/ASP site.  And that would make sense.  For now,
it's silly to use ASP, but when you're changing the available parts by the
hundreds on a monthly basis, it makes much more sense to fill a table in sql
server with parts and have the site generate automatically.  Then you could
tie the online ordering piece in with this table showing the available
quantities and whether or not the agregate quantity had been reached.  And if
this were truly beta, the data could be shaky.  Maybe the left hand didn't
know what the right hand was doing.  We're all on the same page with the
nomenclature, but maybe they're not.  Non AFOL IT people may have a hard time
telling the difference between a medium slope apex brick and a low slope apex
brick.  Also, if the site is still under development, they may not just be
able to fix the problems.  Maybe they're nearing completion on the next
revision of this system and they're not ready to move to production yet.  Why
work on fixing those problems when you're moving to production in a couple
days?  It may be cheaper to accept the occaisional return than to apply a
short term fix.  This is a lot of supposition, but they probably have good
reasons for doing what they're doing.

First I agree with the ASP vs. HTML argument but I would say that if this was
Beta then they should have said so.  Also I don't by the argument that it was
an IT issue.  I am a software developer myself and nothing goes into production
until a business person who is responsible for the system being developed tests
it and signs off.  If no one from LD looked at this before it was put up I
would be very disappointed.  But then the LD people should have noticed the
errors.



Or maybe they were nervous about running a new batch of parts for this "iffy"
service.  Everything indicates that they underestimated demand by a wide
margin.  Maybe they already had the raw materials for the trans green glass.
Do those glass pieces (in the doors) fit any other parts?  Maybe that part was
a test to see how people would respond to unusual color combinations.  Maybe
kids wouldn't return the doors, but adults would?  I'd love to hear an
explanation for this one, but I'm sure we'll never know.

Well either way the pic's on the web are wrong so if they were trying to get a
reaction they should have gotten it through the picture not through unhappy
customers receiving something other than what they thought they ordered.


It may be a miracle it worked at all.  Being part of the IT business, I know
how hard it can be to find good people.  Maybe their programmers have an
english problem.  ;-)  Can anyone say H1B?

Well like I said I do software development for one of the larger
hardware/software developers in the world and to me that just isn't an excuse.
If it wasn't ready for prime time then it shouldn't have been released to the
public at all.



We're a particularly vocal segment.  I bet we were the beta testers.

Like I said if thats true they should have told us.


BTW, I am still very happy we have the service.  It's just disappointing when
there are so many errors in such a small startup.


Eric Kingsley

The New England LEGO Users Group
http://www.nelug.org/

View My Creations at:
http://www.nelug.org/members/kingsley/



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Does anybody actually know Mr Justus?
 
(...) I think we're in agreement. We (the people of lugnet) would argue that it's a different piece. But the people at lego may see it differently. Obviously, this piece wouldn't work with the other pieces designed for use with the medium slope (...) (24 years ago, 21-Jun-00, to lugnet.lego.direct)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Does anybody actually know Mr Justus?
 
(...) That error actually showed the wrong piece whereas the other errors we've mentioned have been in color and nomenclature. Although we would argue that the low slope apex brick is the wrong brick, it can be used (in most cases) in place of the (...) (24 years ago, 21-Jun-00, to lugnet.lego.direct)

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