Blog activity

[WarpedOne]

I'm sure you've noticed recent TM blog activity. Six new posts in a little more than two weeks time from new authors (except one from Daryl).

Does this mean internal atmosphere is normalizing, the "hitting production pressure" is leveling off? Has the new management (finally) noticed the flack they've got and are trying to improve the image? I hope so.

Thursday, January 24th, 2008: 50 State Legal
Friday, January 25th, 2008: Web 2.0 vs. Dead Trees1
Friday, February 1st, 2008: Handing Over the Keys V: Aaron ‘p-nut’ Wills
Tuesday, February 5th, 2008: Smarter Charging
Wednesday, February 6th, 2008: Re: P1 Arriving Now!
February 11th, 2008: The Evolution of Motor Control: from Waves to Bits3

 

[TEG]

I don't know if this is a "controlled burst of activity" timed to coincide with the magazine articles hitting the stands or if this is now "business as usual" with the "regrouping silence" just a temporary phenomenon.

My guess is this is part of a mini "media blitz" planned to focus attention away from idle speculation. Hopefully Darryl doesn't burn himself out trying to feed all the channels all the time!

 

[malcolm]

My guess is this is part of a mini "media blitz" planned to focus attention away from idle speculation.

Yeah idle and largely negative.

Time to distract us web weenies with shiny new posts. And some good news for a change.

To be honest, I'm happy to play along and post a few comments. They have a great product which deserves my support. If I had the money, I'd still like to buy one and export it.

I really hope that Tesla has a great future. It's a company I still want to believe in.

 

[vfx]

Went slumming over to the Tesla Blog today. Did you see the harsh note at the bottom now?
"Comments are moderated and will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. They may be edited for length and clarity. For more information see our Blog Comment Guidelines. "

Not so when Martin was there. He, by the way has a new blog on Solar to power his coming P2. I'm sure he will again treble or quadruple the blog activity of the original company he founded.

 

[TEG]

Yeah, I basically gave up on the TM blogs now. They started "moderating" my posts recently too even though I was just posting some factual data to go along with something someone else said. I guess they want to "manage the perception" a little more closely now.

In 2006 & 2007 they basically didn't edit anything I posted. I am sure there were some who wished they had been a little more controlling, but I appreciate the openness that they had going at the time. I still appreciate what they did with the public blogs, but it seems that they were a bit too "wide open" for their own liking. I hope that view into "what the rest of the world thinks" was useful to them, although I get the impression that some found it annoying to have such a band of critics constantly questioning everything they did.

I suppose this goes along with the idea that they are trying to evolve the company from a "science project" into a "business".

 

[BBHighway]

Yes, they want to get better control of their image, which is understandable, but it's more than that.

There were recently some posters who really got into an extended bitching contest that was pretty disturbing to follow as it steadily escalated. I'm glad to see they are putting a stop to that.

Now if they could just put a stop to all the perpetual motion/free energy ideas. Those seem to get posted with alarming frequency, Seems like every couple of days someone wants to mount a fan or attach a generator on the wheels, so that "you'll never have to recharge again, it will run forever".

 

[stopcrazypp]

I suppose this goes along with the idea that they are trying to evolve the company from a "science project" into a "business".

Ha, ha, some of those comments there were very unprofessional and when you are trying to sell a $100k car then I would assume would want to moderate some comments on your website.

 

[TEG]

Now where can we go to hawk our perpetual motion devices?! :wink:

 

[AGR]

Once they actually deliver cars to customers, actually have dealerships, actually make an attempt to actually sell a car from the showroom, take another car in trade, and close a deal.

The comments will become more pragmatic.

Being transparent and giving everyone an opportunity to voice and express their opinion is certainly a wonderful idealistic concept which is acceptable up to and until you actually get in business.

In a showroom we all know the saying "Money talks and everything else walks....."

As Jerry McGuire was told "Show me the money!"

Many of the comments start with "I can't afford one, perhaps the White Star...however....I think....."

 

[JRod0802]

I'm sure you've noticed recent TM blog activity. Six new posts in a little more than two weeks time from new authors (except one from Daryl).

Does this mean internal atmosphere is normalizing, the "hitting production pressure" is leveling off? Has the new management (finally) noticed the flack they've got and are trying to improve the image? I hope so.

I was looking through the Tesla Motors Blog, and I noticed that it's been a while since they last updated it with any new articles. I checked through the archives, and I saw that the longest wait between blog entries was Feb 25th 2009 - Apr 29th 2009, 63 days. The second longest is Aug 2nd 2011 - present, 55 days and counting.

It sounds like you're speculating that they post less when under pressure. If so, it looks like that theory would continue to hold up today. I'm sure they're under a lot of pressure to get the Model S out on time.

My guess is this is part of a mini "media blitz" planned to focus attention away from idle speculation.

Given the upcoming Oct 1st (and 2nd) Tesla event, I'm sure there'll be another "media blitz" next week. Here's hoping that the blitz is accompanied by more blog entries. I love reading those things.

 

[TEG]

Possibly not just their own web site, but also some outside bloggers & reporters who get pre-release info under "embargo" not to say until a certain time / date.
Sort of a general "calm before the storm" that happens. When the waves stop and the ocean recedes you know what happens next.

 

[VolkerP]

Plus the TM general forum is left devastated. Prey to the spammers...

 

[NigelM]

Plus the TM general forum is left devastated. Prey to the spammers...

Website and forum functionality is something that Tesla really has to get sorted if they ever want to achieve serious market volume; buts that's a whole other thread.

 

[JRod0802]

I checked through the archives, and I saw that the longest wait between blog entries was Feb 25th 2009 - Apr 29th 2009, 63 days. The second longest is Aug 2nd 2011 - present, 55 days and counting.

We have a tie (if I did my math right). 63 days to 63 days:
Revealing Model S Beta | Blog | Tesla Motors

Edit: I noticed it today, but it was dated yesterday, so it was Aug 2nd - Oct 3rd which is only 62 days.

 

[AnOutsider]

He also announced that a performance-tuned Model S will launch at the start of production, traveling from 0 to 60 mph in an incredible 4.5 seconds

So their own blog is saying 4.5.... Elon definitely said 4.4 on-stage unless I was that tired...

 

[VolkerP]

IIRC Elon said "sub 4.5". I speculate on possible reasons for that
* you could call it 4.4 or 4.4ish but real measurements would show 4.49 and Tesla would get beaten up all over with that
* they let everybody else do the calculation "well then it's 4.4"
* they are not sure if the production version will be sub 4.45
* they are damn sure to beat 4.2 but want something to stir up the press with in the months coming

 

[AnOutsider]

* they are damn sure to beat 4.2 but want something to stir up the press with in the months coming

Now wouldn't that be something... The ultimate sleeper car.