Supporting Jark in a real way
The Save the alien campaign
Monday, September 5, 2005 by Istari | Discussion: Virtual Communities
In my last article, Rewriting DeviantArt history Link I talked about how Scott Jarkoff, the main founder of the art site, DeviantArt, was unceremoniously terminated.
After my article, somebody else posted a link to a leaked email http://probingthetruth.blogspot.com/2005/08/subject-truth-about-deviantart.html that gives rise to some serious questions as to the motivation of why Jarkoff was fired. Scott was asking some tough questions and even though he's a stock holder, he didn't seem to be receiving the company financials. There was also some dispute over the percentages of ownership.
As an outsider, I know there's two sides to every story. But every indication seems to be that this is a text book case of one group trying to push out another. DeviantArt is a very popular website today. It is worth a lot of money. In the leaked email contained this passage:
Vesting schedule. This is where we, at outsiders, move into pure speculation. But if Scott Jarkoff (Jark) was on a stock vesting schedule, what happens to that schedule when he was fired? Would his shares suddenly be all vested? Or, more likely, would those shares cease vesting? Looked at in another way, was Scott Jarkoff fired in order to prevent his shares from vesting? If so, then Scott being fired isn't just a matter of principle. It is also a matter of money. A lot of money.
Late last week, Frogboy made an announcement that Angelo Sotira (Spyed) had made some statements that seemed to imply that they were trying to give Jark the respect he had earned http://spyed.deviantart.com/journal/6378620/. But does that mean that this respect translates into anything beyond nice words?
The answer to that seems to come from Jark's new "Save the Alien Campaign". The campaign gives so-called deviants an opportunity to put their money where their mouth is. Users can donate money to Jark's legal defense fund. Since Spyed says that Jark was instrumental to DeviantArt's founding, then he should also share, in an instrumental way, in any financial windfall that DeviantArt receives if it were ever to go public or be purchased by another company. But, if they fired Jark and that just so happens to mean his stock vesting ends and he receives no new shares of stock, that could mean that the guy who actually founded the site could be left out in the cold. I don't know, I am just speculating but if Jark is preparing a legal case, then it is probably safe to assume that there is a lot more than just pride at stake here.
I for one will be very interested and watching to see how much support Jark really gets. The undying devotion that people claim to have towards Jark will now be put to the ultimate test.
After my article, somebody else posted a link to a leaked email http://probingthetruth.blogspot.com/2005/08/subject-truth-about-deviantart.html that gives rise to some serious questions as to the motivation of why Jarkoff was fired. Scott was asking some tough questions and even though he's a stock holder, he didn't seem to be receiving the company financials. There was also some dispute over the percentages of ownership.
As an outsider, I know there's two sides to every story. But every indication seems to be that this is a text book case of one group trying to push out another. DeviantArt is a very popular website today. It is worth a lot of money. In the leaked email contained this passage:
| During a conversation between you, Angelo and myself in August 2004, I expressed extreme dissatisfaction with my vesting schedule and part-time status. My signature on the founder's agreement was based on a promise between you, Angelo and myself that if I were to work full-time hours then the agreement would be amended as such. |
Vesting schedule. This is where we, at outsiders, move into pure speculation. But if Scott Jarkoff (Jark) was on a stock vesting schedule, what happens to that schedule when he was fired? Would his shares suddenly be all vested? Or, more likely, would those shares cease vesting? Looked at in another way, was Scott Jarkoff fired in order to prevent his shares from vesting? If so, then Scott being fired isn't just a matter of principle. It is also a matter of money. A lot of money.
Late last week, Frogboy made an announcement that Angelo Sotira (Spyed) had made some statements that seemed to imply that they were trying to give Jark the respect he had earned http://spyed.deviantart.com/journal/6378620/. But does that mean that this respect translates into anything beyond nice words?
The answer to that seems to come from Jark's new "Save the Alien Campaign". The campaign gives so-called deviants an opportunity to put their money where their mouth is. Users can donate money to Jark's legal defense fund. Since Spyed says that Jark was instrumental to DeviantArt's founding, then he should also share, in an instrumental way, in any financial windfall that DeviantArt receives if it were ever to go public or be purchased by another company. But, if they fired Jark and that just so happens to mean his stock vesting ends and he receives no new shares of stock, that could mean that the guy who actually founded the site could be left out in the cold. I don't know, I am just speculating but if Jark is preparing a legal case, then it is probably safe to assume that there is a lot more than just pride at stake here.
I for one will be very interested and watching to see how much support Jark really gets. The undying devotion that people claim to have towards Jark will now be put to the ultimate test.
lilstarfish
Reply #2 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 7:31 AM
Reply #2 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 7:31 AM
Of course it's about money. It's only about money.
With Jark out of the way Spyed and minions will have no one
demanding to check that they are not spending all of the member fees
on personal luxuries.
The financial records were withheld from Jark even before he was locked out.
It's a good bet that Jark wanting to make sure the checks and balances were
in order was the big reason Spyed felt cornered and decided to remove Jark
from getting access to the financial records.
All in all this is like a miniature event of what is happening in real "politics"
around the world right now. A lot of con-men are showing big smiles for the camera
while they rob the people of their hard earned tax money.
Our fault as citizens? Not believing that people telling they "want the best for us"
can in fact be lying. But then again some people always got to learn the hard way.
My very best wishes to Jark. Once in court it should be a quick deal handing him back
the steering wheel and making the backstabbing traitors pay through their noses.
With Jark out of the way Spyed and minions will have no one
demanding to check that they are not spending all of the member fees
on personal luxuries.
The financial records were withheld from Jark even before he was locked out.
It's a good bet that Jark wanting to make sure the checks and balances were
in order was the big reason Spyed felt cornered and decided to remove Jark
from getting access to the financial records.
All in all this is like a miniature event of what is happening in real "politics"
around the world right now. A lot of con-men are showing big smiles for the camera
while they rob the people of their hard earned tax money.
Our fault as citizens? Not believing that people telling they "want the best for us"
can in fact be lying. But then again some people always got to learn the hard way.
My very best wishes to Jark. Once in court it should be a quick deal handing him back
the steering wheel and making the backstabbing traitors pay through their noses.
Frogboy
Reply #3 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 11:42 AM
Reply #3 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 11:42 AM
This ought to be interesting to see what level of support he receives.
ceeque
Reply #4 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 1:09 PM
Reply #4 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 1:09 PM
This is the first post I have ever made here, being a member for a very short time.I have been a member of DevArt though since 2001 and have been there every single day in some form or other and I would be grateful indeed if I could ask Wincustomize to support $jark with the dollars he will now need!!
I seriously believe in this guy and the vision he has for DevArt and he has always displayed integrity on the site.I will be donating a miniscule amount myself(out of sickness benefit!),it would be alot more if I could..
I seriously believe in this guy and the vision he has for DevArt and he has always displayed integrity on the site.I will be donating a miniscule amount myself(out of sickness benefit!),it would be alot more if I could..
Rabid.mongoose
Reply #5 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 2:14 PM
Reply #5 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 2:14 PM
I have an account at deviantArt now for over 2 yrs. I've been following this and made a contribution to my friend Jark. rabidmongoose@deviantArt.com and here as Rabid.mongoose@wincustomize.com are my two accounts..The corporate world is cold and the founder of DA deserves better than he is getting. I support Jark all the way. 
joeKnowledge
Reply #6 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 4:36 PM
Reply #6 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 4:36 PM
*sigh*
Jark might actually own dA, but he might not win. Spyed didn't do what he did just because. He probably knows the law well enough in the incorporating state to do what he did.
In the end, he can just loose it all, just like I did.
Jark might actually own dA, but he might not win. Spyed didn't do what he did just because. He probably knows the law well enough in the incorporating state to do what he did.
In the end, he can just loose it all, just like I did.
Rabid.mongoose
Reply #7 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 6:03 PM
Reply #7 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 6:03 PM
Well it's like this spyed's gain would be a loss of thousands of people.I started an account here for that very reason.And of course I like you guys lol.If Jark looses this and starts another I will join it and remove all that is mine from DA.
John Hamp
Reply #8 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 6:23 PM
Reply #8 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 6:23 PM
I don't have much faith in the Deviantart community. They're all talk but when the chips are down I expect them to behave like the kids they are.
I don't think any of us are privy to the details of the case. But it doesn't take a legal scholar to know that firing employees who are vesting in stock is a very tricky business. For da's sake, I hope they have a long documented history of disciplinary action or something against Jark. Otherwise it looks like a scam to keep Jark from vesting. The federal income security act was enacted to prevent companies from firing employees to keep them from vesting.
I don't think any of us are privy to the details of the case. But it doesn't take a legal scholar to know that firing employees who are vesting in stock is a very tricky business. For da's sake, I hope they have a long documented history of disciplinary action or something against Jark. Otherwise it looks like a scam to keep Jark from vesting. The federal income security act was enacted to prevent companies from firing employees to keep them from vesting.
TheSkinsFactory
Reply #9 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 7:33 PM
Reply #9 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 7:33 PM
Donated - much love to the alien. I'll do a second round if he doesn't get a good response.
TheSkinsFactory
Reply #10 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 7:50 PM
Reply #10 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 7:50 PM
f**k it. why wait. second round on its way 
Emily
Reply #11 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 10:30 PM
Reply #11 Tuesday, September 6, 2005 10:30 PM
I think it would be amusing to find out who came more to Jark's defense, the "deviants" or the WinCusties?
statichavoc
Reply #12 Wednesday, September 7, 2005 3:45 AM
Reply #12 Wednesday, September 7, 2005 3:45 AM
Being a former staff member of deviantart, I found this very unsettling especially with Scott's genuine and unwaivering concern with the community. It IS his baby, not was. Scott will definately come out on the positive, he wouldn't take action if that weren't the case. Thoughts and prayers are with you Jarkykins.
SuperFes
Reply #13 Thursday, September 8, 2005 6:22 PM
Reply #13 Thursday, September 8, 2005 6:22 PM
This is absolutely disgusting, I've been a part of and helped support the DA community for this asshole?
Pudding.
I'm going to donate for Jark, DA and piece of mind.
Pudding.
I'm going to donate for Jark, DA and piece of mind.
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Reply #1 Monday, September 5, 2005 8:17 PM
Kris