Chip purchase and assembly purchase have always been separate. The chips will be processed in the order they were purchased, and so will assembly.
Each batch will be processed as a unit. Batch 2 chips will be processed before Batch 3, and so on. This takes effect only if the chips are delivered at the same time, which is a possibility but has not been confirmed. The assembly queue relates to individual units within each batch. Orders from each batch will not be competing with orders from another batch for their place in line.
I understand the logistical issues the payment process causes, and I do apologize. The original design and method used for payment was meant to be available well before now, and has experienced several delays. We have been working on a solution for this and believe we've found one. Whatever the outcome, you will be able to pay for assembly, even if it requires manually emailing each individual for payment order by order.
The website should be able to handle the bandwidth, though reduced accessibility is a possibility when we are effectively DDos'd by the influx of visitors.
If you are not able to make the payment by the deadline, please email
[email protected] detailing the issue and we will work to resolve it. Again, this is not an optimal solution, nor is it what was intended. We will do everything in our power to work with you to ensure a solution.
The email issue is most definitely a problem. It appears it was blocked, and we will be changing the process immediately.
There will be no "pre-order race". The assembly house is more than capable of handling our volume, and the final assembly process is in place and ready. There are quite a few parts that need to be ordered at once which have long lead times. For this reason all batches are required to both request and fund their chosen assembly option.
There are a multitude of parts and processes involved in producing a product such as this. Each component must work in conjunction with the others in order to be successful. There are always hiccups along the way, and it is my job to ensure those hiccups do not get the project off track. I am painfully aware of the irony of a bitcoin mining hardware company not being able to accept bitcoin, and have been working feverishly to try to avoid this situation. I underestimated the amount of time needed to integrate the bitcoin payment system with our shopping cart software, and am now paying the price. For this I apologize, and assure you will not happen again.
That being said, progress has been made in every other aspect of this endeavor.
We are ready to go with most of the parts required, and should be seeing packages arriving shortly.