Spin The Yellow Alien Saucer In Circles!
The spin campaign begins. Current deviantART CEO, $spyed, has issued a public “statement†regarding the involuntary termination of jark.
Let me clarify a few points.
Everyone that has worked, or continues to, on this site, either as a volunteer or paid employee, has put their life in to the site. There is absolutely no desire to downplay anyone’s involvement. I doubt anyone would dispute how much blood, sweat and tears that all have put in to the site and company.
That is not the issue. Do not let yourself be fooled by rhetoric.
It is imperative that I point out there are two true founders of deviantART. It was matteo and myself who truly founded deviantART. We were with the community on the front lines, and working feverishly behind the scenes. Anything that you hear to the contrary should be summarily dismissed as deceit.
But I digress.
Nothing prevents The Company from explaining away their actions. Let me say that again; there is nothing that prevents $spyed from clearing up the involuntary termination of jark from deviantART, Inc.
I have the documentation in hand; it has been analyzed by counsel; there is nothing forbidding the administration from speaking. They opt not to explain their actions out of fear of reprisal from the community, among others.
In the midst of all that is happening I am documenting the true history of deviantART. The full truth, and nothing but the truth, will be known, regardless of how damning it is to any party involved, including myself …
In the meantime continue to pressure The Company for answers as opposed to merely giving in to the magical manipulation of charismatic language. You do deserve that much!
Remain civil in all your querying. As I said previously, rioting and violence solves nothing, especially the real-life physical type!
If I have yet to respond to your note then I sincerely apologize. I have been busy responding to comments along with spending time with my family and handling my career. I will get to your note in due time, I promise!
he shouldnt have brainwashed all the new comers when he did the “red pill/blue pill” posts on every account on devART.
As I said on the other post Scott.. Smoke and Mirrors. Never know where it’ll get you. ;)
all that hard work spyed has put into devart… and now he has turned the whole community against himself. pitty.
“What about the deviant with under a hundred pageviews that selflessly gives out encouragement and pushes for new features? Everyone deserves the utmost respect for what they give to this site, and no one person can be attributed with the credit.”
$spyed
wait… let me see this right… this quote from his journal totally kills his “Scaling the Deviants” Journals… the “X,Y,Z” proposition… doesn’t it?
Spyed’s journal was a load of crap. I for one am not falling for it.
I have said it once, and I will say it again, if you were to leave tomorrow and start up another completely different art community, I can bet you anything a vast majority of the community would follow you instantly!
Keep fighting the fight, and we will keep pressuring for answers.
Take care Scott!
only one staff admin ……………..only one DA
You are very loved and respected. Without the yellow alien dA is not dA. Wherever you go and whatever you do will be the only true path of deviance and I am one who will follow. :]
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/21240755/
————————————————————
…AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
Halls of Justice Painted Green
Money Talking
Power Wolves Beset Your Door
Hear Them Stalking
Soon You’ll Please Their Appetite
They Devour
Hammer of Justice Crushes You
Overpower
The Ultimate in Vanity
Exploiting Their Supremacy
I Can’t Believe the Things You Say
I Can’t Believe
I Can’t Believe the Price You Pay
Nothing Can Save You
Justice Is Lost
Justice Is Raped
Justice Is Gone
Pulling Your Strings
Justice Is Done
Seeking No Truth
Winning Is All
Find it So Grim
So True
So Real
Apathy Their Stepping Stone
So Unfeeling
Hidden Deep Animosity
So Deceiving
Through Your Eyes Their Light Burns
Hoping to Find
Inquisition Sinking You
With Prying Minds
The Ultimate in Vanity
Exploiting Their Supremacy
I Can’t Believe the Things You Say
I Can’t Believe
I Can’t Believe the Price You Pay
Nothing Can Save You
Justice Is Lost
Justice Is Raped
Justice Is Gone
Pulling Your Strings
Justice Is Done
Seeking No Truth
Winning Is All
Find it So Grim
So True
So Real
Lady Justice Has Been Raped
Truth Assassin
Rolls of Red Tape Seal Your Lips
Now You’re Done in
Their Money Tips Her Scales Again
Make Your Deal
Just What Is Truth?i Cannot Tell
Cannot Feel
The Ultimate in Vanity
Exploiting Their Supremacy
I Can’t Believe the Things You Say
I Can’t Believe
I Can’t Believe the Price We Pay
Nothing Can Save You
Justice Is Lost
Justice Is Raped
Justice Is Gone
Pulling Your Strings
Justice Is Done
Seeking No Truth
Winning Is All
Find it So Grim
So True
So Real
Seeking No Truth
Winning Is All
Find it So Grim
So True
So Real
I am worried about the future of DA, Scott. Really worried.
We miss You. DA without You wil never be the same. The yellow alien was a symbol of DA and using it further without Your presence would seem like a blasphemy to me:( It reminds a me a bit of the situation of my aunt, which was the principal of a nearby school, she did her best and managed to get the sposors, to take care of everything, paper work etc, and when she managed to finish the construction of a new school building, they wanted to fire her:/ It would end badly, if not the support of the parents who supported her and threated with keeping children at home instead of sending them to school. That’s why I have an image of how You feel. It’s really mean what they have done to You, without a clear reason. Sigh, I wish there would be a way I could help You… many of us have the same wish.
Regards, Scott
So there’s nothing you can do about it, then? I’ve wondered about Angelo’s true involvement in the founding of the site. I’m stll a bit confused as to when he actually started doing anything for the site — he claims to be an original founder, yet I’ve been hearing it was around ‘02.
The sad part is that while Angelo gave that long reitteration of corporate bullshit, people still fell under the impression that they’d gotten an answer. Not to mention that it’s filled with contradictory little “facts” strewn here and there.
Just know that you have my full support, and that of many others across the site.
I support Jark !
Here : http://fubiz.net/blog/index.php?2005/08/01/174-deviantart-jark
here, and once again, I give you all my support, although I sadly never had the chance to get to know you a little better… or maybe I should say a little at all XD
You know, politics on online websites are things I usually don’t take an interest in…. but this is definitely not one of those cases.
I never knew you, of course…. but I grew curious when I saw the familiar yellow alien stamp, and finally clicked one day.
I was rather shocked with what I found.
I don’t know exactly what happened, but then, I don’t think anyone does, except perhaps spyed or whoever is responsible in the first place.
This whole thing is twisted and sick. For a while, I’ve had little complaints about DA, about how it seems to be getting a little to capitalized…. and now its original founder gets booted to pave the way for, what I assume is, more money making.
I’m not gonna stand by and watch that.
The creepy thing is…. I’ve been through something similar before. I summarised it in my journal, so I’ll just copy and paste….
“This is all too familiar to another situation that happened, only it was at school. I go to a small charter school, and we had a teacher that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE loved. I can sincerely say that he was the greatest teacher I ever had…..
And one day, mysteriously, he disapeared.
No one said why. We weren’t allowed to question. We weren’t allowed to say ANYTHING at all.
They pretended that they didn’t know what was going on, that this was his idea. It was, of course, total bullshit.
And one day, we all finally got told something- he wasn’t coming back. We never got told anymore then that.
I was in the yearbook class, and they FORCED me to change the original page I had dedicated to him…. then changed further without my consent between my turning it in and its publishing.
But there is one thing they could not stop us from knowing- he did not want to leave. (And as far as I know, got kicked out for an incredibly stupid reason.)
I’m not lettnig something like that happen again.”
And I mean it. This is something that really needs to be fought for- the spirit of DA. And I wish you the best of their luck- as you said, no father should be forced away from their child!
(Plus, a significant of serial killers grew up without a father. No one wants DA to be a serial killer….)
I found it interesting that Angelo’s journal entry had not a single mention of matteo in it….
All right, do you answer questions? I’ve got a few questions. This whole thing seems remarkably lopsided. I mean, you’ve got this guy over there, Spyed, he didn’t found the company, but he fires you? Not only does he fire you, but also he’s got this manifesto about scaling deviants, cutting the crap shit art out of DA. The sort of thing I’ve been behind for years. My pushing that agenda has done nothing but show me that it’s not popular, what with the constant bannings and all. I spout my fascist ideas off and all the crap artists get pissy and threatened, the admin never seem too thrilled either.
But this guy, this two dimensional villain who just fired the sites mascot, he gets behind those ideas? Yeah, let’s get rid off all the crappy artists. There goes his subscription base. There goes a big chunk of his money. Or can terrible paying artists stick around? Just like paying rippers never get banned? It’ll just be the cheap piss poor artists who get flushed. Either way, you’ve still got Jasinski around to make prints. Those prints marked up $gazillion percent. Nice plan, a bit Snidely Whiplash for me, a bit polarizing.
Spyed’s actions haven’t destroyed the community. They’ve unified it for the first time since never. You fire somebody, wouldn’t it make since to kill their membership too? That way they disappear quietly, without all the rabble-rousing hullabaloo. Further why would that fired person stick around free of charge? Community? Wikipedia says this has always been about the money. DA I remember from March of 2001 seemed to focus on skinning applications. That was the community. Todays Deviantart is about furry anime characters engaging in gay sex on top of inflated lactating women, a bit of a departure from the original game plan. But hey, it still makes money. This all seems like a stunt. It’s too black and white. The martyr versus the corporate monster, and walla, every one and their sister actually cares for a change.
Let’s see if you’re not back in a week. In some capacity or another. Let’s see how long the campfire songs endure. If it works maybe we can have an event like this every summer, we can call future ones Coke II, the Death of Superman or Infinite Crisis. I hear they’re about to replace Batman for the second time in ten years. That’s why they brought back Jason Todd. Strange how this Deviantart debacle reminds me of bad comic books, of publicity stunts, you never knew what you had until it’s gone. I’m sorry if you’re actually out of a job. But look at it from my perspective. Doesn’t it all seem a bit choreographed? In the real world the villain isn’t supposed to be so clear.
The truth is out there…
Those who know you understand what is happening.
The support and love for you is immense..immeasurabel.
Hugs/Love
“immeasurable.”
spyed entry was so huge but it didn’t say anything at all. A shame.
I believe there are more than a few very good reasons why people have so much respect for you and whatever happens you’ll always be able to walk away with your head held high.
i just saw this: http://comments.deviantart.com/4/29/157177232
this has to be the biggest example of ‘poor form’ or a sick joke i have ever seen on DA.
i’m disgusted. and im starting to get very fucking angry.
it might disappear, so in case it does.. http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/451/spy6in.jpg
i cannot believe this fucking guy.
If you ever make a new site I’m there.
I posted this in response to Spyed’s Journal, though in the 1500+ responses he’s gotten I doubt he’ll ever see it… And sadly, even though you’ve maintained that people should be civil, I’ve seen a lot of people getting VERY angry and cursing him out …
Quoted from http://comments.deviantart.com/5/6095324/157189207
The thing that gets me is, every time I had heard mention of the official history of Deviantart, There were two original members listed: Jark and Matteo. Nobody is saying Spyed didn’t put a lot of work into the site as well…. I have also heard that there are no legal reasons preventing the details of Jark’s dismissal from being revealed… IF It’s ok with Jark (probably the only person who could really have ever made a legal issue out of the information), it should be ok with Spyed…
To Spyed: I hate to say it, because I never saw anything wrong with your actions before, but it seems as though you’ve really gone and messed things up. Jark, was and IS the soul and lifeblood of this website, having seen it from its inception to the present day… So to summarily dismiss him as if he were the janitor or something seems disrespectful… Especeially considering he is The Co-Fouinder of the website…
It reeks of a hostile takeover, and that reeks of corporate BS, and nobody wants this website to turn into “yet another corporation”… I have in the past year purchased three separate yearly subscriptions to this site(one for me, two for my friends) when I have NEVER subscribed to a website before… and the reason I did so was because I believed that the staff of DA had the right idea, and only the best of intentions…
Unfortunately because of recent events and the manner in which they were handled, I no longer feel that trust for the staff of DA… I vote that your lawyers should go to speak with Jark’s lawyers, and if they can agree (as only lawyers can) that there’s nothing illegal about revealing information that is agreed upon to be released to the public, then it should be released, and quickly, to stem the tide of rumors and innuendo that have been forming in the community since the beginning of this “coup”.
Should you refuse, then expect a tidal wave of disapproval from the community…. And whatever is left in the flotsam and jetsam, it will not be the same website I once supported.
I do hope you decide to take these matters into your hands and put to rest any rumors
I do not watch the politics of dA often but when I do I am always stunned at what I see. This time I was horrified. If it does come down to a new dA under yours and all the resigned staff I will be behind it with you. *salutes*
Sofa-Chan Jennifer
We have found the Anti-Christ his name: Spyed.
i’m at your disposal for any plans for devart2 or similar true arts community
Truth be told, I’m still confused Jark.
HOWEVER — If you’re starting a new site, I’m coming too. :)
This story has got me very confused… You’re not allowed to make a public statement about the truth? Spyed’s doing his best to calm the people down but I’m not sure how much he’s succeeding… Not that my opinion would count anywhere, but I’d sure love to know the truth for once… To me it would seem outrageous to “demote” (that’s putting it mildly I guess) a co-founder of anything, not to mention such an impressive community as is DeviantArt. And as Lilithia added, please make sure that if you’re planning on founding a new community I’d love to join, and so would a hell lot of other deviants… make sure everyone will know!
*nod*
We definitely deserve to know the WHOLE truth.
Jark,
Good luck man. I know that you got some of your income from dA. I hope you find a way to fill that void quickly.
I also hope that spyed finally decides to come out and tell us WHY you were let go, but in the very least knowing that NO ONE is happy about it (i’ve found SOME undecides..but that will probably change) makes it worth waiting around the site to find out the truth.
And remember, there are people who will follow you. If need be, call up matteo and start up a new site. Most of dA will follow, myself included.
Signed,
Joel Fassler
BabySola
May the Jark be with you… always! Hang in there and fight the powers that be. Be strong! People care about you.
To everyone else: Question authority! Constant vigilance!
$spyed. Hmmm. I rather think the $ in front of his name is appropriate, don’t you..?
It was very obviously spinned, I grant you that. And you know damn well that I support you with my entire eHeart. ;)
But a question…if there’s nothing keeping them from releasing any “real” statement or terms, etc…what is there to prevent you from releasing it?
Scott, I follow DA from a far and I respect the ideals you have with it. If this is not some sort of 5th birthday gag (which part of me wonders to be the case), then then I have much sympathy for you. I have had a few projects I started strangly removed from my grasp, and it hurts. It fills you with disgust for your fellow men who do not share your dreams, but something else totally. If you are thinking of doing a new site, I ask you to think about us perhaps working together. I believe I share the same ideals as you in some fashion AND I am in the process of getting non-profit status (so no need to worry about greedies). I won’t post the link out of regard for spam, but if you don’t know the site I am speaking of, just look at my personal site or email me.
Either way, keep your head up dude … and damn you if this is hype for DA’s birthday. Peace
{…}deviantART is the world’s largest online artistic community. It was first launched on August 7, 2000 by Scott Jarkoff and Matt Stephens. Andrew McCann, of Sonique fame, is also considered a co-founder. {…}
note the mimssing of any angelo sotira in there…
{…}deviantART, Inc., the proprietor of the deviantART website, was begun by Scott Jarkoff and Matt Stephens on August 7, 2000. Angelo Sotira and Andrew McCann became heavily involved in deviantART at a later date, well after the site had been established, leading Sotira to claim that he was also originally the third co-founder, a claim refuted by Jarkoff. {…}
seems even wikipedia knows the thruth
i think you should join up with matteo, and all the original founding members who are on yourside and take deviant art to court and sue the crap out of them.. either for your old position and/or a monetary settlement.. since you are a founder of the company.. it’s only right that whatever profit the site makes, that you should get a fair share of it..
Is this true?
You have my respect and support. :) I don’t think Angelo even said much about the truth that we wanna hear. Anyway, I don’t wanna say much about this thing again. From everyone’s comment, I think they have said what I want to say. All the best, Jark! *hugs*
huh?
If you didn’t actually write that, I’m certainly impressed with the creative writing skills of someone else. Haha.
You should probably mention something about that one way or another, I think some kids are getting a bit confused. I sure as hell am.
~Peter
I think the point here though is that Jark has expended blood, sweat and tears through years of effort in building DA. Jark doesn’t WANT to start a new community, he wants to be part of the community he has already founded and helped build.. He wants to remain a central part of the initial vision he concieved.
Jark, I hope you manage to resolve the issues of corporation and direction which $spyed has bought into the DA. I hope you don’t have to resort to starting a new community, I hope you don’t have to sign-off on all the effort you have already put in. Good luck with your legal assertions of corporate mismanagement on teh part of $spyed, I hope it’s as clear cut legally as it seems morally.
I couldn’t upload this at deviantart(because it’s photoshoped copyrighted material), but I wanted to show my support.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/Nuke-Mayhem/Jarks-revenge.jpg
I might draw this out in the near future, so I can show my support on the DA.