Incredible incompetence at the OLPC donation program

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I was excited about potential for the XO as a delivery vehicle for assistive technology. The laptop looks great online so I ordered one through the buy one get one program. I figured we'd get to develop a demonstration on it for Maze Day. Boy am I disappointed...

I made my donation on 14 November expecting the laptop by Christmas.

I got a thank you note from Nicholas on 16 November.

I got an email on 22 December promising delivery by 15 January.

I got email on 19 January saying their shipment system could not ship to my address. We get shipments here on campus every day from every shipper. I responded that their shipment system is broken and they should drop it in US Mail. Their email included a 24 hour dedicated 800 number for speaking to an agent.

I got email on 21 January apologizing for the email of the 19th, saying ignore the request for updated shipping information.

I got email on 25 January saying it had been sent to the warehouse for shipping.

I got email on 6 February telling my how grateful they were for the overwhelming response.

On 14 February I called the 800 number. The lady who answered the phone "hello?" didn't appear to know anything about the OLPC. I figured I had the wrong number so I apologized, hung up, and dialed again. Same lady, except this time after much silence she gave me another 800 number to call.

I called it, got a menu, chose to speak to a person, and was informed that my XO would ship "at the end of March".

Yow. These guys are going to change the world? My confidence is waning.