.

[PuertoLibre]

If you think that those requests are coming...wait until BFL announces the next delay.

That will be a cluster storm.

@ Tom

You did the right thing. You went back to being the person we knew. So even if you couldn't handle the pressure (which I understand) you did the best you could. You are basically a one man company. BFL has like 5 people doing just the CS work. You just had you until Dave came along. (And you still did CS work even after that).

I wish you the best in your next BitCoin endeavor and may your product still give the competitors a bad nights sleep as they try to out compete you when the new Benefactors do take over the production and management of that work you toiled endlessly on.

You have my respect sir!

please wipe your mouth after the swallow......

We don't all suck the reps "TANG" you tool. Not everyone is like you. Now go back into your closet role.

[Inaba]

Haha PuertoLibre, you are such a piece of shit.  Incredible.

[deeplink]

Might be time for a scammer tag. 

What's your fuckin' hurry? We're only on Page 3. This is at least a fifty pager, for there's a whole slew of facts and fictions that have yet to be presented.

I agree, there's a lot more drama potential to squeeze out before someone should start a poll and a scammer thread. (spoiler alert, click here if you want to hide it) Then let's build it up slowly to the anti-climax where nobody is going to get a tag.

Whatever you do, make sure you have enough food and beverages left for the next major challenge (*cough* BFL).

[PuertoLibre]

Whatever you do, make sure you have enough food and beverages left for the next major challenge (*cough* BFL).

Whoa, whoa!

What? You mean BFL won't be shipping in Mid-January?

Thats crazy! Tell him he's wrong Inaba/Josh!  

[PuertoLibre]

In Tom's defense, I would like to say that he tried. He finally handed it over to someone else to fulfill the orders.

Keep in mind he was doing the job of many individuals. I believe that was a grave mistake. But he tried and when it wasn't working out he said so.

New Management will [fortunately] take over and hopefully the project he started will continue until it's completion and shipping date. I don't know about you, but to me Tom was a nice guy. He promised a 72Gh/s system and I believe it will come out eventually.

That's just one persons opinion though. Even I have my personal bias like any other person.

[crazyates]

In Tom's defense, I would like to say that he tried. He finally handed it over to someone else to fulfill the orders.

Keep in mind he was doing the job of many individuals. I believe that was a grave mistake. But he tried and when it wasn't working out he said so.

New Management will [fortunately] take over and hopefully the project he started will continue until it's completion and shipping date. I don't know about you, but to me Tom was a nice guy. He promised a 72Gh/s system and I believe it will come out eventually.

That's just one persons opinion though. Even I have my personal bias like any other person.

Good intentions don't make hardware, as much as I actually did respect Tom.

[Clearfly]

Why am i not in the slightest bit suprised??

[nathanrees19]

Why am i not in the slightest bit suprised??

Hindsight bias perhaps?

[makomk]

In Tom's defense, I would like to say that he tried.

You misspelt "lied". Since at least the end of November when he announced the initial delay, unless I'm entirely mistaken. Certainly that announcement makes a lot more sense now we know they still don't have production chips even now.

[MeSarah]

I said back in November that I thought Tom's company would be the first Bitcion hardware manufacture to go bankrupt, and now my words are appearing to be coming true, but not yet. So let us take a closer look and maybe ask a few questions. With Toms' 5 figure monthly salary, rent on office/production space at about $1500 per month, $100k+ development costs, a refund request rate at about 12 to every 1 that is willing to wait it out and a profit margin in the neighborhood of 500% per unit sold, how long before total bankruptcy ensues?

As far as I know Tom never setup an LLC, Inc. or other type of incorporation. This makes Tom personally liable financially and legally for all debts and felonious activities. I advised Tom in November to seek legal counsel. My guess is right about now he wish he had taken my advice. But no, he was too smug and thought I was just trolling him instead of trying to help him.

I made a thread and several posting trying to raise the level of scepticism about Tom and his offering because I saw numerous problems. My approach was to deal with the issues I saw one at a time but the community and moderators attacked me and removed my postings. The moderators were just too chummy with Tom to allow my questioning of Tom to occur. When I challenged Tom he locked his thread within days and ran away. And now when things get tough for him again, he runs away and dumps responsibility on another to pick up the pieces of his failed life endeavours. Just like when I called him out on the FCC issue he said something like, "but the other do it too", bumping responsibility on others. So I decided to just let the community go down with the ship without providing a life preserver. It leads me to wonder how many more enforcement agencies might begin an investigation into Toms' activities.

I can image how stupid Toms' 'shills' are feeling right about now. I know if I were a customer of Toms' I would be demanding a refund as soon as possible. I doubt that all of Toms' customers will be getting their money back. My advice to those that still wish to buy a product from Tom would be get your refund to be safe and secure, and when the mystery new asian company (if this isn't a continuing con) starts producing an ASIC product and proves it as functional and real, then reorder.

I do believe that Tom tried to produce an ASIC product. I also believe that fairly soon he realized he couldn't so be began to con people into thinking that all was okay because it was the only solution he knew. He lied to himself, he lied to the community and most importantly he lied to his customers. And because if this Tom does deserve the SCAMMER tag.

One thought I had but wasn't going to bring up was suicide, but sense Tom did I will. Tom on irc spoke about cutting his wrists open. Is Tom going to be the first person to commit suicide because of Bitcoin? It is a grim thought but one that has to be asked. Those that attempt suicide often speak of it before attempting it. But maybe this is just a ploy to get attention, to get people to feel sorry for the poor bastard, and not to call him a scammer.

Anyone want to place odds on how long it will be before Tom gets sued or possibly jailed?

[el_rlee]

the only way to do "right" now is to come clean:

*stop paying out refunds
*state how much money is left
*state the progress of development
*state how much money is owed

*let the creditors decide what to do

I also have a bASIC order open.... is there somebody willing to organise all this mess?

[Jack1Rip1BurnIt]

@MeSarah
Dude, you never tried to help him. You only came on here to talk a bunch of bull just like you are doing now. Everyone will get a refund that asks for one so please stop spreading crap like that. Tom might have failed at his asic mission and is now throwing in the towel because he doesn't know what else to do, but he is in no way trying to keep people's money from them. There is a reason why the moderators remove your posts. Get to steppin'!

[mining4fun11]

I said back in November that I thought Tom's company would be the first Bitcion hardware manufacture to go bankrupt, and now my words are appearing to be coming true, but not yet. So let us take a closer look and maybe ask a few questions. With Toms' 5 figure monthly salary, rent on office/production space at about $1500 per month, $100k+ development costs, a refund request rate at about 12 to every 1 that is willing to wait it out and a profit margin in the neighborhood of 500% per unit sold, how long before total bankruptcy ensues?

As far as I know Tom never setup an LLC, Inc. or other type of incorporation. This makes Tom personally liable financially and legally for all debts and felonious activities. I advised Tom in November to seek legal counsel. My guess is right about now he wish he had taken my advice. But no, he was too smug and thought I was just trolling him instead of trying to help him.

I made a thread and several posting trying to raise the level of scepticism about Tom and his offering because I saw numerous problems. My approach was to deal with the issues I saw one at a time but the community and moderators attacked me and removed my postings. The moderators were just too chummy with Tom to allow my questioning of Tom to occur. When I challenged Tom he locked his thread within days and ran away. And now when things get tough for him again, he runs away and dumps responsibility on another to pick up the pieces of his failed life endeavours. Just like when I called him out on the FCC issue he said something like, "but the other do it too", bumping responsibility on others. So I decided to just let the community go down with the ship without providing a life preserver. It leads me to wonder how many more enforcement agencies might begin an investigation into Toms' activities.

I can image how stupid Toms' 'shills' are feeling right about now. I know if I were a customer of Toms' I would be demanding a refund as soon as possible. I doubt that all of Toms' customers will be getting their money back. My advice to those that still wish to buy a product from Tom would be get your refund to be safe and secure, and when the mystery new asian company (if this isn't a continuing con) starts producing an ASIC product and proves it as functional and real, then reorder.

I do believe that Tom tried to produce an ASIC product. I also believe that fairly soon he realized he couldn't so be began to con people into thinking that all was okay because it was the only solution he knew. He lied to himself, he lied to the community and most importantly he lied to his customers. And because if this Tom does deserve the SCAMMER tag.

One thought I had but wasn't going to bring up was suicide, but sense Tom did I will. Tom on irc spoke about cutting his wrists open. Is Tom going to be the first person to commit suicide because of Bitcoin? It is a grim thought but one that has to be asked. Those that attempt suicide often speak of it before attempting it. But maybe this is just a ploy to get attention, to get people to feel sorry for the poor bastard, and not to call him a scammer.

Anyone want to place odds on how long it will be before Tom gets sued or possibly jailed?

If he runs alot of people know where he lives.  I would reckon that people might pay him and his family a visit.  I'm sure they will all be spending more time together after this.

[greyhawk]

If he runs alot of people know where he lives.  I would reckon that people might pay him and his family a visit.  I'm sure they will all be spending more time together after this.

There were people offering assassination services or something to bAsic customers on the BFL forums earlier today.

[itsgoldbaby]

If he runs alot of people know where he lives.  I would reckon that people might pay him and his family a visit.  I'm sure they will all be spending more time together after this.

There were people offering assassination services or something to bAsic customers on the BFL forums earlier today.

Nice people, I hope BFL deleted those posts. I have a preorder with bASIC, and I am not too happy right now obviously. I submitted my refund request yesterday, hoping to get a reply today about it. Looks like I will have to order from BFL now. At least I have an old FPGA to return for the upgrade though.

[bitmar]

 ...Looks like I will have to order from BFL now....

out of the frying pan into the fire.... people are like lemmings

[itsgoldbaby]

 ...Looks like I will have to order from BFL now....

out of the frying pan into the fire.... people are like lemmings

I am amused by your post. Is it now considered lemming like to order a BFL SC once they are shipping? I don't believe I stated I was pre-ordering, which would of course make more sense with your reply. Too clarify, I am going too now wait for a product too ship then place my order. Troll away.

[bitmar]

 ...Looks like I will have to order from BFL now....

out of the frying pan into the fire.... people are like lemmings

I am amused by your post. Is it now considered lemming like to order a BFL SC once they are shipping? I don't believe I stated I was pre-ordering, which would of course make more sense with your reply. Too clarify, I am going too now wait for a product too ship then place my order. Troll away.

I am amused how much you are blinded by the promise of quick and easy money 

[PsychoticBoy]

Asked for a refund for all my ordered bASICs.

Hope He WILL send my money back, unlike other people in this community!

[MrTeal]

Even if Tom did spend the preorder money and the company goes bankrupt without being able to refund all the preorders, I think a quick search of the forum would show he doesn't have a lot to worry about. It's not like Pirate's identity is hidden, and after Pirate's blatant scam fell apart all the keyboard rage here didn't produce anything.