really tired of deviantART's wikipedia entry
Journal Entry: Wed Feb 28, 2007, 3:10 AM
Ugh.
I'm really getting tired of wikipedia's deviantART entry. I add historically factual information specifically defending myself and it's consistently overturned by user accounts I don't even recognize as having any real historical knowledge.
There's a lot of stuff in there that I disagree with and don't concern myself with, but there are a few facts that I'm tired of needing to contest. So I've added the following to the comment area up at the top (not for public view), and I want it to stay there.
"There is no question that Scott Jarkoff, Angelo Sotira and Matt Stephens are the co-founders of deviantART. That's not to say the subject isn't questioned. Due to the fact that Matt Stephens and Scott Jarkoff are no longer with the company, it has become a speculation that Angelo Sotira is only the CEO, and not a co-founder. But the well documented fact of the matter is that Scott Jarkoff, Angelo Sotira and Matt Stephens co-founded deviantART. Without each of their contributions, deviantART would not have existed. Please stop editing this article as it pertains to that particular story line. - Thank you."
I've changed two or three references in the body to be consistent with this. And I also appropriately credited Matt Stephens with this change:
"All three co-founders shared backgrounds in the application skinning community, but it was Matt Stephens (artist) whose most major contribution to deviantART was the suggestion to take the concept further than skinning and towards an art community."
It's really hard to look at that wikipedia page every once in a while and see the entire purpose of 27% of my life questioned. That's just horrible.
I co-founded deviantART. It's a fact. From the philosophical influence of DMusic on deviantART through to the financial capacity for launch and the combined intellectual contribution of a good portion of the DMusic team at that time (MikeyLove, Chris Bolt and Simon Foust included). I'm not more of a co-founder, I'm not less of a co-founder. I value tremendously the many contributions of Scott and Matt. I get that they don't like me. I don't dislike them, although some things have been pretty hard to swallow, but I pretty much understand the sour grapes. Ultimately I sense clearly that at this point either of them are glad to say anything so long as it hurts me.
That's fine. But it's biased in my view.
That's all. Stop messing with the entry, I don't think it's Scott or Matt, whoever is doing it. It's ridiculous.
I have no idea how to contest it with wikipedia, I totally don't want to put the effort in to it, I just don't have the time. I ran in to it again tonight and felt like talking about it.
So here's this journal entry, I've said my peace and I feel better.
-- A
I'm really getting tired of wikipedia's deviantART entry. I add historically factual information specifically defending myself and it's consistently overturned by user accounts I don't even recognize as having any real historical knowledge.
There's a lot of stuff in there that I disagree with and don't concern myself with, but there are a few facts that I'm tired of needing to contest. So I've added the following to the comment area up at the top (not for public view), and I want it to stay there.
"There is no question that Scott Jarkoff, Angelo Sotira and Matt Stephens are the co-founders of deviantART. That's not to say the subject isn't questioned. Due to the fact that Matt Stephens and Scott Jarkoff are no longer with the company, it has become a speculation that Angelo Sotira is only the CEO, and not a co-founder. But the well documented fact of the matter is that Scott Jarkoff, Angelo Sotira and Matt Stephens co-founded deviantART. Without each of their contributions, deviantART would not have existed. Please stop editing this article as it pertains to that particular story line. - Thank you."
I've changed two or three references in the body to be consistent with this. And I also appropriately credited Matt Stephens with this change:
"All three co-founders shared backgrounds in the application skinning community, but it was Matt Stephens (artist) whose most major contribution to deviantART was the suggestion to take the concept further than skinning and towards an art community."
It's really hard to look at that wikipedia page every once in a while and see the entire purpose of 27% of my life questioned. That's just horrible.
I co-founded deviantART. It's a fact. From the philosophical influence of DMusic on deviantART through to the financial capacity for launch and the combined intellectual contribution of a good portion of the DMusic team at that time (MikeyLove, Chris Bolt and Simon Foust included). I'm not more of a co-founder, I'm not less of a co-founder. I value tremendously the many contributions of Scott and Matt. I get that they don't like me. I don't dislike them, although some things have been pretty hard to swallow, but I pretty much understand the sour grapes. Ultimately I sense clearly that at this point either of them are glad to say anything so long as it hurts me.
That's fine. But it's biased in my view.
That's all. Stop messing with the entry, I don't think it's Scott or Matt, whoever is doing it. It's ridiculous.
I have no idea how to contest it with wikipedia, I totally don't want to put the effort in to it, I just don't have the time. I ran in to it again tonight and felt like talking about it.
So here's this journal entry, I've said my peace and I feel better.
-- A
- Listening to: 1.618 - BT, This Binary Universe
Earlier today, Wix.com announced its acquisition of DeviantArt, and I want you to know how incredibly positive this development is for our community, for the platform, and for all artists who haven’t yet become deviants!
PRIZES
(Zoline's eyesight/spiritual eyesight ref [info about that is in the description of the picture]) (Arc 1 refs [more refs below])
]
For whatever reasons it happened, it did. it's the past now... and look at the damn website! it's amazing! We've occasioanlly hit the top 100 hit sites in the world!
i don't know why someone who would pour blood sweat and tears into creating a website (aka yellow alien boy) would tear it down the way he does. it's like building a skyscraper, being kicked out the front door, so you take a sledgehammer to it?
end of my rant.
Or, in short, the internet makes you stupid.
If you're the one that's right, history will eventually see you that way. If Jark really was unfairly terminated, it'll be proven some way or another.
On the other hand, it's nifty that you're actually responding to people on this journal entry. Usually it seems like you're up somewhere in the sky. Or you're using StumbleUpon like an addict. One or the other. :-P
-- A
dA should make a stumble feature for its art, for finding art fast. Or is that just a sci-fi possibility?
I myself don't really care about the issue anymore other than the rift it caused within the community. Between the members and the staff and between the Jark supporter and your supporters..
Deviant art is a great resource, never let some wiki-drama get in the way of that fact!!
thank you
-- A
you're the ceo, you have what you want. expect a bit of flak, since no one can or will tell us what's up...
The point is, an acceptable resolution must be achieved. I, a member of the community, am not entitled to know about what goes on behind closed doors. I have no right to threaten or intimidate, in any form, those who make or carry out desicions made by the leaders of this place. I have every right to be curious, and in fact I should want to know and be involved with the direction of the community as an active member. Conversely the staff should in the interest of maintaining a healthy relationship with the members of the body it oversees should be as forthcoming as is appropriate for deviantART as a whole. And then, we move on together.
I feel we're in sync on these issues, and I feel that we're making a bigger effort than we ever have in the history of deviantART to proactively reach out to the community. Please understand that prior to 2005, the criticisms and the concerns by the community were *very much the same* as they are now.
"The administration needs to listen."
Is a theme and a montra that if you do a little homework, has been the governing topic by the community since inception.
And to that end, we have a Community Development department with various employees dedicated to exactly this purpose. Other communities simply do not have this.
I (at this moment) am literally supposed to be in last stage negotiation on our new colo facility, revamping our advertising network, helping with the relaunch of deviantWEAR and supporting the wiki/rooms and collections project. That's on my plate, in addition to general business administration.
Instead, when asked in a considerate and well reasoned way (much like you have above), I respond with specifics.
I've done this for Ryan Ford recently when he raised some great points (search news). Lolly and the community development department release a weekly report of exactly what is going on. Do people read it? Not enough... and regular journal entries and news items are posted keeping the community squarely in the loop with the realities we face.
Bottom line is, we're fighting off a lot of sour grapes and mud that's been flung at us, in 2005 specifically we were and I was buried in it. Many claims were made, many assertions made, money was even collected to sue us. Yet there's never been a law suit against deviantART or myself, and no one seems to consider why?
I was silent years ago and remain silent because I was in complete shock. I've been blamed for handling that situation incorrectly, but lets say for a moment that I'm not some evil monster. And I didn't "misappropriate funds" or take actions which are characterized as consistent with the image of an "evil ninja" then perhaps the lack of grace was not mine.
If you really wonder, if you really want to free this community of doubt. Create a nice long check list of the things I've been accused of, and then put a check mark next to the ones that have been definitively proven or even have a truly high probability of sincere doubt backed by *contested* documentation.
You'll come up empty handed.
I've dedicated my life to this community from inception. I tried to leave at some point, to go to college, like a 20 year old probably should. Had I done so, deviantART would have faced yet another crisis and wouldn't be here.
I won't apologize to anyone who can't digest that. It would go against my integrity and I have no problems looking in the mirror.
My best, sir.
-- A
I did saw those entries the first time (the first site i looked up there was this one), then when all this started i did saw the changes you made to it, again and again...
Though you are entitled to an opinion (and this being the best place to share it with us), please be so kind to take some time to think about this whole deal... Instead of this, i think IMHO, the community would like to heal.
So why not writing about this whole deal. But this time disclose the truth. As harsh as it might be we would like to hear one thing, the truth.
Disclose the truth, so we can all know what we are talking about.
I was not a suscriber but an avid user of this site since it was only about skins... your name was not here (but hey, prove me wrong, though i know you do not need to).
What would you like to know?
-- A
This is from a fellow deviant... No puns, no jokes, no insults.
Thanks!
It would be slanderous for me to do so.
I'm not hiding anything, I just don't want to break the law.
-- A
In any case, i thank you for your time.
-- A
"deviantART's History" should be fixed.
There is too much "freedom of edit" articles on Wiki, anyone can pretend to Know.
Such as several deviants suggested it, it should exist a way to "seal" any important information like this.
I just hope that a lot of Deviants don't "make their knowledge" with Wikipedia... *sigh*
==
Sadly, DeviantART is a failing business. They fired many of their staff the previous year, since the management they are now under DeviantART user Spyed, whose account can be found here: spyed.deviantart.com/ , no longer care about their userbase, but instead have focused their efforts on milking it for all of the money they can make from the website. An example of this is the new CORE membership, as they have raised a year worth of core to twice the price it used to be, without adding any new features to make it more interesting for premium users. Users on the site have posted how upset they are with how bad the management has gone, but nothing has been done.
Some Testaments and Frusrations of dA Users:
princessskyler.deviantart.com/…
toodamnfilthy.deviantart.com/j…
marinacoric.deviantart.com/jou…
persephone-almana.deviantart.c…
Between allowing pedophiles to join the site, never banning anyone for drama or pain they cause to the community, and neglecting tickets sent in through the help desk for weeks and even months, dA has gained a bad reputation over the years, and the site owner(s) seem to have no interest in turning this around.
Usually if a user reports something involving issues with another user, they get a copy and paste reply, saying "Thank you for contacting us. Social conflicts are always difficult issues to resolve. We are sorry that this incident has moved to level where you felt the need to file a ticket.
We recommend that you and your boyfriend use the "Blocked Users" tool found in your account settings, www.deviantart.com/settings/ge… . Using this tool will prevent any further communication between you and any user profile that you place on the list in the tool. Our FAQ contains more detailed instructions on this tool here help.deviantart.com/96/
Please contact us again if, after using the Blocked Users tool, the user in question continues to attempt to contact you in a way that you consider to be harassing. We would then step in and take administrative action as necessary and appropriate.
Again, thank you for contacting us in what must be unpleasant circumstances for you. Please know that we value your membership and participation in DeviantArt.". dA does not care if you are being cyberbullied and spoken about in a harmful fashion, and do not care if they send others to attack you. If you reported each user who harassed you or spammed your page, they would give you this exact same response for each report you sent in.
We handled it terribly perhaps. But that's about it.
Out of curiosity, why not ask Scott to come back as an admin since he was a co-founder?
-- A
as per Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox, October 9, 2006: Participation Inequality: Encouraging More Users to Contribute
i suspeced it was a hard decision . you gave us an oppertunity to ask about it a recent meeting
i felt awkard but wanted to ask
i support the site / vision / and one day to be hired ( you can't afford me right now)
will happen
i placed my chips on your plate
recently i was so supported by senior staff it made my head dizzy ( my princess moonbeam13 ) ..
i am a healthcare professonal ( a project director for health care / 28 years ) .
IT is a matter of life and death in health care . .. no kidding
IT on deviantART is what makes me feel better at night and i live on it / it's a matter of life and death for me
i like where you have directed / i like how professional we have become ( nods ) .
-- A