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News   News : Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
   posted by DiscreetFX on 20-Nov-2009 2:23:32 (38903 reads)
Chicago, Illinois November 19th, 2009



For Immediate Release


It's with great sadness that we must announce the end of the AmiZilla Booty. The former Netscape Executive has been concerned with the length of the contest for some time and now no longer wishes to participant. Listed below is a statement in his own words about why the contest is over.


"Today I wish to end the AmiZilla Contest, this project has gone on way too long with no project updates from any coders that might have been involved. Some that never even donated to the contest have tried to use it to cast DiscreetFX and myself in a bad light. Rumors were spread that the funds were being used for other things. I take this as a personal insult myself since I am in control of the funds and am of high ethical character. AmiZilla was always about helping the Amiga, AROS & MorphOS community get a modern browser. It was a contest though and without a clear winner the contest was not helping it's sponsors, mainly DiscreetFX and myself.

Many times I was going to increase my contribution to the bounty considerably but I did not because of rumor spreading and in-fighting. I advise everyone in the Amiga community to do more and talk less in the future. I officially withdraw my AmiZilla funds and hopefully make the Amiga community wiser for it. Actions speak louder than words, this is my action. I do see a light at the end of the tunnel though. The developers of Amiga OS 4.1 have taken it upon themselves to actually do the hard work of porting Firefox to AmigaOS. They would have made the programming team from Netscape proud."

That's the end of his statement. He did say the CD is maturing and all the funds minus his contribution will be transferred back to DiscreetFX. Listed below are the options that those that donated have.

1. Transfer your donation to Timberwolf to help that Firefox bounty succeed.

2. Request a refund and have it processed through our accounting department. Your donation was always safe with DiscreetFX. We have never done any type of coupon scams or anything else unethical in the history of the company.

3. Transfer donation to Open Video Toaster. This effort to bring video editing and effects to Amiga OS 4.x, AROS and MorphOS is in need of more donations to make it thrive. AmigaOS, MorphOS & AROS have no video editing applications anywhere near the quality of the Amiga Video Toaster. What they do have is the rare opportunity of the complete source code to this classic best selling system. Use that opportunity wisely!

4. Receive the equivalent of your donation in DFX products.

5. Request your donation goes to Charity Water. Many people in the world are suffering because they don't have clean water. Help them by transferring your AmiZilla Booty donation to this great charity.

Sorry for the bad news but AmiZilla's key backer has spoken.


Best regards

DiscreetFX Team
    

STORYID: 5159
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PosterThread
Kronos 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 12:23:26
#21 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 8-Mar-2003
Posts: 2562
From: Unknown

@qwertz

You forgot the black helicopters !


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ChrisH 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 12:36:26
#22 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 30-Jan-2005
Posts: 6679
From: Unknown

It seems a poor excuse to withdraw bounty money because of rumours. Rumours are exactly what you expect in the absence of facts & news. Best way to dampen the rumours would have been to explain exactly what was happening with the money.

Withdrawing the money because of a lack of progress seems more reasonable, but some warning should have been given first, because for all anyone knows, someone HAD recently started working on a port, and may now stop because of the bounty being withdrawn


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Heinz 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 12:48:31
#23 ]
Regular Member
Joined: 10-Oct-2005
Posts: 212
From: Unknown

The posted list seems to be not complete.

But thats not a problem.
PayPal happily displays all your old transactions. Mine was from April 2004 !

I hope People are clever enough to spend their money not to closed source Projects.

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itix 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 12:51:46
#24 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 22-Dec-2004
Posts: 3398
From: Freedom world

It is a shame in a sense it seems it could have been easy to collect MorphOS part of that bounty. But well, there was enough time to catch it.


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qwertz 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 12:52:48
#25 ]
Member
Joined: 1-Oct-2009
Posts: 24
From: Unknown

@ChrisH:
Quote:

someone HAD recently started working on a port


Yeah, and that's why the bounty has been cancelled now. Talk about saving your money... ($5,000 mystery man + $2,000 DiscreetFX is a large sum) It was a vapor bounty, the evidence is too clear. I knew something like this would happen when Timberwolf got announced. So we better get over it. The only thing real in it was the money of the community. I hope everyone gets their money back at least, now that the list of donors has been eliminated from that site.

Probably the Frieden's would've claimed that AmiZilla bounty too after Timberwolf. It was $12k after all. No one lets that pass by. However, it could've been a clever move by the Frieden's not to announce that they were after the AmiZilla bounty too in order to prevent a bounty race starting up. Too bad it didn't work out. I hope every one transfers its money to Timberwolf now.

Mod note: This is an official warning. You make very damning direct accusations here with "It was a vapor bounty, the evidence is too clear.". You are welcome to your opinion. But you should make clear its an opinion. Either that or if you state it as fact then provide proof that you are right. You say there is evidence. Produce it then!

Last edited by fairlanefastback on 20-Nov-2009 at 02:43 PM.

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Tomas 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 13:02:16
#26 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 25-Jul-2003
Posts: 4286
From: Unknown

I never doubted the good intentions of DiscreetFX and that netscape executive. I dont see this as bad news though and i am really happy that you now are transferring these donations to other projects.

It made no sense to keep the bounty when we already have another firefox port coming our way anyways.

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Tomas 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 13:05:13
#27 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 25-Jul-2003
Posts: 4286
From: Unknown

Quote:
Am I the only one that finds it "strange" that the booty ends, now that there is a real chance of getting FireFox on Amiga - why isn't the Netscape money or part of it transfered to Timberwolf?

Because it is a different project that does not meet the criterias of the original bounty. They cant just transfer the money to another project without asking for permission from the original donators.

One of the criteria was a 68k port for example..

Last edited by Tomas on 20-Nov-2009 at 01:06 PM.

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Rob 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 13:06:43
#28 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 20-Mar-2003
Posts: 6351
From: S.Wales

@Tomas

I think it's good news too. The money can now be freed up for other purposes.

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Tomas 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 13:10:00
#29 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 25-Jul-2003
Posts: 4286
From: Unknown

Quote:
Yeah, and that's why the bounty has been cancelled now. Talk about saving your money... ($5,000 mystery man + $2,000 DiscreetFX is a large sum) It was a vapor bounty, the evidence is too clear. I knew something like this would happen when Timberwolf got announced. So we better get over it. The only thing real in it was the money of the community. I hope everyone gets their money back at least, now that the list of donors has been eliminated from that site.

That is just bulls*it. Timberwolf was a completely separate project as it did not meet all the criterias for the port. I dont see the problem as long as the donators can now transfer the money to timberwolf if they want.

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bitman 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 13:12:25
#30 ]
Cult Member
Joined: 25-Mar-2008
Posts: 705
From: Fredericia, Denmark

@Tomas

The "secret" "Netscape executive" - could transfer his $5000 dollars to Timberwolf if he wanted to instead of putting it back in his pocket.

I just find the last months since Timberwolf was announced "strange" - not long ago DiscreetFX said that the bounty now was managed by the secret Netscape guy - and now one month later he "transfers" the bounty back to DiscreetFX, closes down the bounty and the donator list also disapears.

Last edited by bitman on 20-Nov-2009 at 01:13 PM.


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spihunter 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 13:25:40
#31 ]
Member
Joined: 5-Nov-2004
Posts: 60
From: Durham, NC USA

To everyone here saying "Just transfer the money to Tiberwolf"

I'm sure that there's many people on the doantion list that are not current OS4 users
Myself being one of them. I donated for an every AmigaOS option. I'm going
to ask for my money back and give it to another bounty.


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Troels 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 13:30:02
#32 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 8-Mar-2003
Posts: 2005
From: Unknown

I don't understand is why "Netscape executive" never bothered to contact me regarding Timberwolf sourcecode (not saying it would ever be opened 100%, I don't know).

I also don't understand why the Netscape executive has the final say on a bounty arranged by DiscreetFX. People trusted DiscreetFX with their money, not some anonymous guy (even if he's probably 100% trustworthy).

I think something is wrong when the one donating the most money has the final say over rules (as you told me by email) and when a bounty is to end, it should be clear from the start and not decided by who donates the most money.


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fairlanefastback 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 13:40:04
#33 ]
Team Member
Joined: 22-Jun-2005
Posts: 4886
From: MA, USA

I thought DiscreetFX held this money, not the "former Netscape Executive". I personally think this is a good thing. Folks get their money back and can use it for whatever they want. So each will get back their money with interest then yes? Good show.

This is also a good opportunity to bulk up the Timberwolf bounty. Perhaps DiscreetFX will consider giving at least a third of their $2000 plus interest into the Timberwolf bounty now?


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bitman 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 13:48:19
#34 ]
Cult Member
Joined: 25-Mar-2008
Posts: 705
From: Fredericia, Denmark

@fairlanefastback

DiscreetFX already donated EUR33 (real money) to Timberwolf.


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Manu 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 13:49:04
#35 ]
Super Member
Joined: 4-Feb-2004
Posts: 1561
From: Unknown

It seems like DFX & partners is pulling the plug on support for MOS/AROS.
Not cool at all .

(Not that I long for Firefox at all but I know many do)


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Troels 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 13:52:40
#36 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 8-Mar-2003
Posts: 2005
From: Unknown

@Tomas

I have tried to get in touch with the "netscape guy" via Discreetfx but without success. Reason was that a change of how the Amizilla money was divided __might__ have tempted the Friedens to open all source code. The Amizilla bounty has been changed before without asking the donors so why not asking to get it changed again.

A 25% split was IMHO laughable but I was told by DiscreetFX that the netscape guy was in charge of the money and doing the rules. The Netscape guy never bothered to contact me (or the Friedens I believe)!
Result is probably no chance of a 100% open Timberwolf source.

It DOES seem odd to cancel a bounty just before a version of Firefox is actually running on one of the target platforms. Who knows if something makes the Friedens change their mind about the source code?


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bitman 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 14:00:33
#37 ]
Cult Member
Joined: 25-Mar-2008
Posts: 705
From: Fredericia, Denmark

@Troels

And why dosn't Mr. Secret guy, donate some of his $5000 to Timberwolf - dosn't he like Amiga anymore?


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Jamie_S 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 14:05:59
#38 ]
Cult Member
Joined: 26-Oct-2003
Posts: 794
From: Purbeck, UK

I honestly don't think there's anything deceitful going on here - Timberwolf is a completely separate project with it's own bounty. It even states as such on the Amigabounty page. The truth is there's been no visible progress of any sort with Amizilla for a long long time. I think it's wrong to question the actions of the mysterious Netscape executive without any actual evidence of wrongdoing. This is a good outcome - people get now to vote with their feet - get a refund if they wish and give their money to another bounty or else buy a beer.


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BigC 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 14:11:43
#39 ]
Regular Member
Joined: 10-Aug-2006
Posts: 284
From: Unknown

I'd think DiscreetFX has shown support for Amiga platform and also a modern browser is one thing keeping more Amigas from being used on the net.

I find Seamonkey,rather than Firefox, to be much closer in feel to Netscape.But Seamonkey 2.0 no longer supports PPC Macs,etc.PPC computing is such a small percentage that few developers care,and many,if not most, want to work with the latest hardware,not push classic hardware to its limits.NEW is the word used by almost everyone to sell almost everything,especially in the U.S.

Your conspiracy and scam post probably is the kind of rumor that p****d the "former Netscape exec".

Offering full refunds to all donors is best way,because donors can these choose another worthy project.

i encourage donations to Netsurf ,OWB, and am hoping for chance to register iBrowse 2.5!

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billt 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 14:31:36
#40 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 24-Oct-2003
Posts: 3205
From: Maryland, USA

I think the situation also speaks to how the bounty was arranged. I remember the last readable definition to have beena modification to the original definition, and I had preferred the original. This 25% cut per Amiga-alike seemed to be more of a deterrent for the first port than a motivation.

As for advising we the Amiga community to do more and talk less, we all put a lot of money into that bounty too. Sure, you did a huge chunk all by yourself, but how many of the rest of us are rich executives? I know I can't raise my hand there. Don't lecture us, next time around do a better bounty definition that coders are more motivated by, or when its obvious no one is picking it up and there's a lot of talk as to why, consider modifying it to correct the perceived problems with it. Don't leave a broken bounty broken and criticize us for not taking it up. I know that one wants things how he wants, but if you truely want the stated result, at some point in the long long time of Amizilla, you need to recognize it is ineffective and improve things to make it effective. The Friedens finally ARE doing, not just talking. And look at how quickly the bounty there is already half the Amizilla fund. The Friedens asked for a bounty definition they would accept, got it, and it's significantly further along than Amizilla code ever was. Imagine how long ago this could have happened if the original bounty hadn't remained so fubared to the coders who could have done it back then...

I hope that the interest earned by the CD means we all get our actual donation amounts refunded, not donation-paypal fees and he keeps all the interest...

Last edited by billt on 20-Nov-2009 at 02:43 PM.
Last edited by billt on 20-Nov-2009 at 02:42 PM.


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