R3, Honestly I am not trying to sound condescending, or even come off like a jerk. But that is (as you stated) your take on what happened. Is any of that based on actual phone conversation(s) with SP, or purely speculation? It has been my understanding (at least for some time, now)that the install works as designed. (Blahdude could probably elaborate more here) But I believe the switch problem is only a problem when the hotel is at or near capacity. Not to say it isn't still a problem since hotels want to be at capacity everyday for best profits, and if it doesn't work then, it may as well not work at all. I also understand that the switches are already updated, but the system to some aspect (either fully, or partially) needs to be taken down so a software update can be implemented? My guess is worst case about 24 hours, but probably more like 6-8 hours. I also understand the hold up there to be the hotel to allow this period of time, whatever it might be, for the system to be taken down. Again this seems to be an area that Blahdude could talk to far better than I.
From a technical/Engineering standpoint I will agree with your opinion that SP has done ALMOST everything humanly possible to make this work. Notice said almost, and I will address that in detail further down. Now from a business CEO standpoint, SP has not held the standard. Even the old (pre-phone conversation) R3 knew well of what I speak of here. Ok the money issues may be hindering official news releases and actual financial reports, but that is really no excuse for his failure to OPENLY and HONESTLY communicate with his shareholders. Had he done this, and it is not too late for him to still do it, I think that he could have saved a lot of face, and he might actually come up with some pretty resourceful input from the shareholders. Further I might add that if Money was the big problem of getting Philly fully operational, why spend a buttload on researching Puerto Rico, especially if your main selling point and attraction is based on a functional working model in Philly? It might be just my anal retentiveness talking here, but I think that talking to and showing conceptualized presentations of a system that can do one thing, and then providing a Half Assed working model that SCREAMS "We can't do all that we are advertising" is really piss poor salesmanship. or as some of the old guys say "putting the cart before the horse".
Now back to "ALMOST", as a young engineer, 25 years ago, my mentor taught me that while "Discretion is usually the better part of Valor, it often easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission". I had a piece of equipment that was becoming dangerously close to full mechanical failure that was in operation, and we had a fully operational back up ready to go online automatically if it went down. I, trying to save catastrophic damage to the equipment notified the Chief Engineer that I wanted to switch equipment, and his reply was "NO, I might have an emergency to which I would need the backup equipment" and my reply was that if that happens it isn't going to do you any good anyways. My boss, after hearing the exchange between myself and the Chief Engineer, walked over and turned off the switch and that caused the standby equipment to start automatically. by the time the chief engineer had figured out what had happened, all repairs had been made and he had two functional pieces of equipment. Thus nothing to really be mad about.
I said all that to say this. "What if the TIVUS system at Philly just happened to stop working? HMMM I wonder why? well wouldn't that be a perfect time to update the software? or what if 50 anonymous people called the local new channel in Philly and said that they had stayed at the Philly Marriott and now had tons of bed bug bites. so now Marriott has to go empty room to empty room looking for these bed bugs. what do you know, a great time to update TIVUS software." I am not saying, I am just saying. There is more than one way to skin a cat. Some Major league guys take real pleasure with bullying the minor league guys around. maybe it is time to shuffle the cards and stack the deck in our favor, just enough to even the playing field.
