Hash and A:M has been through our share of ups-and-downs. Several years ago, there was a smear A:M campaign going on in another public forum. We tried to ignore it but to no avail. Many of the postings were filled with innuendo and outright slander. (In fact, the event had a substantial impact on our company; one that will take years to recover from. I was thinking about writing an MBA case study of how small companies can be gravely damaged by the anonymity of the Internet. If I knew then what I know now about defamation on the Internet, I would own that other forum).

We did what we could to respond: Ken identified four of the most vociferous attackers. He sent emails to each of them offering a free upgrade. We never heard from one guy again. Another took the upgrade, and though he probably never used it, at least he was mollified enough to lay off the heavy duty attacks. A third guy responded over a year later, saying he’d like that upgrade now. (We ignored him.) The last guy was more of a challenge. He wanted the upgrade but he had some stipulations: First, he didn’t want to give us his address. Second, he said he had another “real” name. Third, we couldn’t call him, and he didn’t want us sending him anymore email – he would contact us.

“What’s up with this guy?” I asked Ken.
“Well, he says he’s a famous comic book artist, and if his fans find out where he lives, they’ll harass him,” Ken explained.
“Uh-huh.”
“He did give us the address of a Kinko’s in Chicago we could ship to, though. He wants us to wait five days first before we ship it.”
“Uh-huh.”
“So he can fool his fans into not following him.”
“Uh-huh… Get this one over with.”
So Ken waited the five days then FedExed the package to the attacker, care of a Kinko’s Copies in Chicago.

Ken wasn’t there when Steve took the call.
“Hello?” asked a faraway voice.
“Yeah. Hash, Inc. May I help you?” asked Steve.
“Uh. Sure. I got this package?”
“Yes?”
“Well. I work at a Kinko’s in Chicago, and I got this package addressed to a guy who comes in here.”
“Yes?”
“Uh. Well. You see, this guy comes in here all the time to get warm and use the computers.”
“And…”
“What’s in this box?” asked the Kinko’s guy suspiciously.
“Why do you ask?” asked Steve.
“Well, I know about some things going on, and I’m just trying to cover your back.”
After thinking about it, Steve replied, “It’s a copy of our software, ‘Animation:Master.’”
“I thought so,” said the Kinko’s guy.
“I don’t get what you’re talking about?” Steve was confused. “Is there something I need to know about this guy?”
“Yeah. He’s homeless…” the Kinko’s guy said. “Are you listening to me? He’s homeless and doesn’t have a house… And he doesn’t have a computer… And he sure as hell doesn’t have your program.”
“What?” Steve was flabbergasted.
“This guy saw you guys getting lynched on-line and he jumped right in. He was having a grand old time bashing, and was proud of it. I knew what was going on, and I think it’s criminal what people can get away with on the Internet.”
“You mean this guy doesn’t use our software?”
“I don’t even think he knows what your software does?” said the Kinko’s guy.
Steve was quiet for a long time.
Finally, the Kinko’s guy asked, “What do you want me to do with this?”
“Keep it,” said Steve. “It’s yours.”

Well, I have to say that i always enjoy reading your stories, but this one was a little wierd. I think that the office manager did an great thing letting you guys know about what was going on.
The one thing that I am wondering about is, why someone that uses the A:M software would want to start a public bashing. I have to admit I have had my share of problems, but with the help of the Report, and the rest of this forums they were quickly resolved.
I wonder how many people on that other web site actually used A:M, or just decided to past the time like the homeless wonder in the story.

I am rather impressed with your business ethics though. I mean to offer users a free upgrade that have been destroying your name is very impressive. I love the way you support your market.

Wow, when my upgrades run out in about 345 days, I'm gonna bash AM and get a free upgrade...wooohoo.
I hope I can find enough to gripe about tween now and then

I hope that Kinko's guy is still around. We could use more people like him in the community. I wonder if the homeless guy is still wondering why you didn't send him the software.

Wow.

Just...

Wow.

Would be entirely too funny if not so tragic.

If he really is a 'famous' comic book artist I'll wager I might be able to ID him from his posts (wonder if they still are archived somewhere). Not much chance that his imagined greatness exceeds that of most comic book artists.

Chicago eh?

Maybe he's one of the 'famous mini-comics book artists' from Chicago. I've met a few. Almost any one of them could be your guy. They all practically live/d at Kinkos back in the day and probably still do.

I'd say he might be Michael Golden but he was down and out south of the Mexican border as I recall. No chance you'd get lucky enough to be harassed by someone as talented as a Michael Golden though. No.. you gotta get some famous minicomic artist to harass you.

Get some talented enemies next time okay?

Rodney
(I love Kinko's but have never had anything sent to me at one. Swear.)

That's a good story, entirely believable. but next time you tell it...elaborate on the ending! Here's MY new ending:

"And the clerk at the Kinko's...took the software and learned it real well... and his name was VERN."

Ahhh, there's just sumthin' bout being in bidness, and any modicum of success.

They (those experts, over there>>>) say that for every satisfied customer that says something (any little thing) positive, there are 100 who will bash you to kingdom come, and 10 of those will be EXTREMELY PUBLIC about it.

I'm sorry you don't "own" that other forum, Martin... though I'm not sure what you'ld do with it, if you did.

A homeless guy. Go figure.

Didn't even use sophisticated identity theft methodology to take down a major player in the animation software industry (though I'm certain he was probably close enough to dumpsters, often enough in his pitiful existence, that he could have done some major damage, "if he only had a brain"... Thank evolution he did not).

Glad you and Hash Inc. are still here doing the right thing. Survival of the fittest.