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News   News : Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
   posted by DiscreetFX on 20-Nov-2009 2:23:32 (38700 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
    

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PosterThread
DiscreetFX 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 21:32:22
#81 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 12-Feb-2003
Posts: 2480
From: Chicago, IL

@fairlanefastback

Our accounting is done by a part time CPA. Six month CD's were giving returns of almost 4% last year. But this year they are giving less than .06%. DFX is bigger than you might think. We release new digital video effects products on a very regular bases. Our effects products are not cheap, most cost around $100 each.

Last edited by DiscreetFX on 20-Nov-2009 at 09:33 PM.


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Rose 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 22:47:03
#82 ]
Cult Member
Joined: 5-Nov-2009
Posts: 982
From: Unknown

Quote:
Too many people read Moobunny it seems. They had some very unpleasant things to say about aw.net and you in particular as well.


Simple Yes/No question. Since Tedd Gallion seems to present himself as a DiscreetFX presentative in Moo is his comments official line of DiscreetFX ?

"Thanks to you Dammy I will not longer support AROS in any fashion. Make of that what you will. " Seems bit different from your comment.

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DiscreetFX 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 20-Nov-2009 22:56:51
#83 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 12-Feb-2003
Posts: 2480
From: Chicago, IL

@Rose

Tedd does help out DiscreetFX from time to time and he is still trying to secure funding for us for our film. Tedd is not a DiscreetFX employee and statements from him should not be taken as official policy. Tedd's opinion of AROS and mine do differ. I fully support AROS and will donate to more AROS bounties in the future. There will also be a version of Aladdin 4D 6.0 for AROS. Tedd no longer has any interest in AROS and does not like it. I have tried to change his mind on this in vain.


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ssolie 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 0:02:42
#84 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 10-Mar-2003
Posts: 2755
From: Alberta, Canada

Quote:
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 is some pretty high praise indeed.

Given how high that Timberwolf bounty is getting, I wonder if Hans-Joerg and Thomas would like some help for a cut of that juicy pie...


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ne_one 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 0:13:19
#85 ]
Cult Member
Joined: 13-Jun-2005
Posts: 905
From: Unknown

@fairlanefastback

quote]I still don't get though that a person who had the mental constitution to become an executive in the world of cut throat big business gives a crap about what a couple of folks at Moo Bunny have to say about anything.[/quote]

I'm still not clear why any of this was even used to justify the withdrawal of the bounty. Clearly lack of development activity is something people can grasp.

Sensationalizing this whole situation just feeds the belief that the Amiga community is made up of a bunch of buffoons.

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fairlanefastback 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 0:19:21
#86 ]
Team Member
Joined: 22-Jun-2005
Posts: 4886
From: MA, USA

@DiscreetFX

Quote:
Tedd does help out DiscreetFX from time to time and he is still trying to secure funding for us for our film. Tedd is not a DiscreetFX employee and statements from him should not be taken as official policy.


Lets make this simple then, don't let him use your DiscreetFX account here any more.


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DiscreetFX 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 0:26:48
#87 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 12-Feb-2003
Posts: 2480
From: Chicago, IL

@ne_one

Lack of development and the long time the bounty went uncollected was the main reason for him ending AmiZilla per the Press Release. Moobunny was a minor event but icing on the cake. We made the mistake of showing him all the relevant good and bad Amiga community websites a few months ago for reasons that will become crystal clear very soon. Maybe we should have skipped that one but we needed examples of both good Amiga fans sites and bad Amiga fan sites.


@K-L

Accounting did some research and got back to me. They gave an additional 3 Euro donation in your behalf on Oct 23rd, 2009. AmigaBounty.net really needs to get their donation system in order. Comments were not possible in the past which makes it hard for accounting to post who a donation is transferred from. Also, currently no one is able to donate to Project Timberwolf which makes it hard for us and others to donate.


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sundown 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 0:31:08
#88 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 30-Aug-2003
Posts: 5120
From: Right here...

@DiscreetFX

Thanks for the effort, just ashame it didn't work out.


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fairlanefastback 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 0:35:23
#89 ]
Team Member
Joined: 22-Jun-2005
Posts: 4886
From: MA, USA

@DiscreetFX

Quote:
We made the mistake of showing him all the relevant good and bad Amiga community websites a few months ago for reasons that will become crystal clear very soon.


So, let me guess, you bought out Amiga.org, partially funded by the former Netscape Exec?

Quote:
AmigaBounty.net really needs to get their donation system in order. Comments were not possible in the past which makes it hard for accounting to post who a donation is transferred from. Also, currently no one is able to donate to Project Timberwolf which makes it hard for us and others to donate.


Personally I don't think its wise to re-direct any blame on Troels' site. His bounty system has been awesome IMHO, and I'd say its probably pretty well regarded by many.


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DiscreetFX 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 0:45:12
#90 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 12-Feb-2003
Posts: 2480
From: Chicago, IL

@fairlanefastback

Troels is a nice guy and I did not say his bounty system is bad. I only said it does not allow comments and is currently down. Kind of makes it hard for people to donate to Project Timberwolf.


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AmigaHeretic 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 1:16:45
#91 ]
Super Member
Joined: 7-Mar-2003
Posts: 1697
From: Oregon

@DiscreetFX

Wow. This thread is really saddening. I apologize on behalf of all the incredibly rude people in this thread.

First of all for the people that can't do currency conversion. You donated $10 and they transfered 7€ to another bounty. Uh, that IS over $10.

To all the people that say this is "really suspicious". WTF are you talking about? This bounty has been going on for near 6 years!! No code has ever been shown, people were CONSTANTLY asking to have their money transfered out of Amizilla/have Amizilla ended.


People are getting ALL their money back PLUS interest?!? And you're still whining?

Jesus H Christ, where in the Amizilla bounty did they tell you when you donated money that they were going to GIVE YOU INTEREST back if the bounty ended? No other bounty in the Amigaverse has ever or probably would ever do this.

As for Timberworlf, how can it be more fair then to give people their money back then THEY can choose where they want to give. The Amizilla bounty was for OS3.x, MorphOS, AROS, and OS4. Not just you OS4 users.

Someone actually made it sound like it will be the Amizilla bounties FAULT now if the Friedens don't allow Timberwolf to be ported to other platforms.


Thank you DiscreetFX for being so good to this community even if they turn on you sometimes. You did the right thing ending the bounty and giving money back, with interest NO LESS!!

You couldn't ask for them to do it any better.

-Bounty was making no progress after ~6 years
-They gave people their money back instead of 'forcing' it over to another bounty like Timberwolf.
-They are giving back interest earned.


DiscreetFX is awesome. This thread makes me want to puke.


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fairlanefastback 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 1:34:43
#92 ]
Team Member
Joined: 22-Jun-2005
Posts: 4886
From: MA, USA

@AmigaHeretic

Thats all well and good. Folks brought up valid issues though, like why the money was really with someone else, and why do we need to hear about some Moo Bunny connection at all? They brought up such distractions. And of course thats going to generate conversation.

And the stuff about the executive probably reminds people of some tall tales we have gotten in the past from other companies. Maybe its true here, but the community has gotten a lot more conservative in what its going to tend to take at face value.

As for interest, refunding it for something held in trust is pretty normal.

Instead of the drama of the letter from the Netscape guy, the Moo Bunny reference on the Amizilla page, etc. they could have just said:

We are ending this bounty as no real progress has been made in 6 years. Refunds including interest will be made. Please consider supporting other bounties with your refunds. Thank you.

Last edited by fairlanefastback on 21-Nov-2009 at 01:38 AM.


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AmigaHeretic 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 2:47:07
#93 ]
Super Member
Joined: 7-Mar-2003
Posts: 1697
From: Oregon

Quote:
We are ending this bounty as no real progress has been made in 6 years. Refunds including interest will be made. Please consider supporting other bounties with your refunds. Thank you.


That's exactly what they are doing.


DiscreetFX started the bounty, stood behind the bounty, and are fulfilling on the bounty. End of story.


This is one of the 'rare' good things that happen around here. Yet people have to cr*p all over it.


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fairlanefastback 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 3:27:45
#94 ]
Team Member
Joined: 22-Jun-2005
Posts: 4886
From: MA, USA

@AmigaHeretic

And if they had kept their announcement to that then this thread would probably be half as long. They cluttered the announcement up with extraneous stuff. Mentioning Moo Bunny on their own accord is only going to go one way, and that way is badly. Mentioning people's money was somewhere else than they thought it was is a sure way to generate conversation about that as well.

The person who made a direct accusation got a warning.


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sundown 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 3:30:44
#95 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 30-Aug-2003
Posts: 5120
From: Right here...

Quote:
@AmigaHeretic

Thats all well and good. Folks brought up valid issues though, like why the money was really with someone else, and why do we need to hear about some Moo Bunny connection at all? They brought up such distractions. And of course thats going to generate conversation.


@fairlanefastback

I'm with AmigaHereti, this may seem like a "fun" discussion, but very stressful for DiscreetFX. Seems to be a "normal" amiga community roast at this point to me. The bounty has ended, ppl get their money back, get over it & move on. We should be heaping thanks on DiscreetFX for trying to give us what we all wanted, not questioning his honesty.


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fairlanefastback 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 4:37:35
#96 ]
Team Member
Joined: 22-Jun-2005
Posts: 4886
From: MA, USA

@sundown

A children's show I grew up with comes to mind with a similar scenario. The character Snuffleupagus was real in Sesame Street, but it was no surprise many people did not believe Big Bird. That doesn't mean Big Bird should not discuss him, but it does mean he should be prepared for people not to take him seriously on the subject. That was unfortunate for Big Bird, because even though Snuffleupagus' existence was doubted, he did indeed exist. DFX may very well be in a similar boat here. And that would be a shame.

But I think DiscreetFX has been in this community long enough to at least know that the way they formed this release was bound to raise eyebrows, and it did not need to be done that way. That was a choice on their part. Short and sweet would have saved them a lot of bother.

I am left wondering if they instead thought the release as formed was going to cause outrage with people deriding the continued existence of Moo Bunny. If that was not the reason I'm baffled at why they loaded up the release with extraneous stuff.

The direct accusation made in this thread was moderated. If any others are made without backup they'll get moderated too. Other than that, folks are discussing things DiscreetFX themselves brought up (Netscape guy is mad, Netscape guy has your money but will give it back, Moo Bunny is partly to blame). Lets also not forget that Tedd helped to keep that Moo Bunny thread going. Their own guy helped turn that thread into the disaster it was.

Last edited by fairlanefastback on 21-Nov-2009 at 04:41 AM.
Last edited by fairlanefastback on 21-Nov-2009 at 04:40 AM.


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sundown 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 4:58:16
#97 ]
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Joined: 30-Aug-2003
Posts: 5120
From: Right here...

@fairlanefastback

I think we both know that people aren't perfect in the way that they present things. It's just sad that we pick apart every little thing that others do to promote our hobby & fail. Threads like this only scare off the people that would try to make our hobby better for us, we're just shooting ourselves in the foot.

There's a great desire by some to see our OS die, threads like this only help them.


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AmigaHeretic 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 5:01:24
#98 ]
Super Member
Joined: 7-Mar-2003
Posts: 1697
From: Oregon

Quote:
A children's show I grew up with comes to mind

Apropos

Quote:
But I think DiscreetFX has been in this community long enough to at least know that the way they formed this release was bound to raise eyebrows, and it did not need to be done that way.




They gave us what, full disclosure? Well, at least we agree that's not what the Community is used to.

Maybe they should have just blown smoke up our asses and told us they're working on their most ambitious project ever and given ZERO details. Just trying to hype stuff only to find out the most ambitious project is the refunding of money.
Yeah, that would have been more in line with what we are use to.


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fairlanefastback 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 5:11:05
#99 ]
Team Member
Joined: 22-Jun-2005
Posts: 4886
From: MA, USA

@AmigaHeretic

But in the case of this bounty I think most have seen this as long since stagnant. I would not have even thought twice about if they had just said they were closing it due to it going nowhere in 6 years. Why do any of us need to know Netscape guy lost it about Moo Bunny? Why do we need to know that the money is sitting where it probably should not have if its still going to be refunded via DFX anyway?

Better disclosure on things that are going somewhere and new and relevant, sure. But thats an entirely different kind of thing IMHO.


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qwertz 
Re: Former Netscape Executive Ends AmiZilla Booty
Posted on 21-Nov-2009 10:53:12
#100 ]
Member
Joined: 1-Oct-2009
Posts: 24
From: Unknown

@fairlanefastback:

As far as I can see, DiscreetFX has not confirmed that they will contact every donor and inform them about the bounty cancellation. As far as I can see, the issue is still: "If you want your money, contact us". And that's just not acceptable. He's the trustee, he must contact people now that he cancelled it. Not the other way round. If he doesn't contact the donors now, it's likely that 30-50% of the donations are never returned/transferred because people just forget about it.

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