Note: In a world bound together by the Internet — indeed, when dealing specifically with Internet-related matters, and with someone who’s not afraid to use that forum herself — it just doesn’t pay to screw someone over. Especially just to, evidently, be a cheapskate.
Yes, I mean, you, Bill.
“Either a good or a bad reputation outruns and gets before people wherever they go.”
   — Lord Chesterfield
UPDATE (22-Dec-04): Bill has contacted me and asked (nicely, explictly non-threateningly, but firmly) that, given the high pagerank this page has ended up having in Google associating his name with this matter, and given that he claims to have documentary proof that that he’s in the right of the dispute (which, at this late date, I declined to review), I either publish a retraction, or, preferably, delete this post.
Being an historian, and being an honest man, I’m always reluctant to delete something from the record. Even when in error (which is not a concession of same), that error is part of the historical record and should remain as such.
Still, not wishing to either prolong unpleasantness, nor paper it over, I’m taking the following steps:
- I’m going to try to bump down the Google pagerank for Bill’s full name by editing his last name out of the post (and comments).
- I’m keeping a PDF of the original page, just ’cause.
- I’m writing this disclaimer, noting what I’ve done.
Hopefully that will satisfy all quarters, including my idiosyncratic own.
Sekimori Designs
I have recently had some problems with INDC Journal’s designer, Stacy Tabb of Sekimori Designs. These problems began months ago, as each of my admittedly clueless requests for design advice or technical help with my site were consistently met with…
Bill responds (trackback linked to here). While Seki is occasionally acerbic and quick-tempered, I have also found her professional and reasonable, and so am inclined to take her word for the matter over his.
I’m amused by the comments (elsewhere, in trackbacks here, etc.) that imply this is all a plot by Evil Bush-Haters Who Are Out To Get A Bush Supporter. Really amused, on several levels.
So you think Seki did the right thing by IMMEDIATELY publicly smearing Bill–without bothering to phone him or something first?
I think she’s acting like a seventh-grader.
I’m not second-guessing the particulars of the dispute, save that I’m inclined to trust Seki’s professional judgement in this, and that, from what I know, it was not a knee-jerk reaction.
I would hope that the two of them can work out their differences in the matter, but, then, I hope that of everyone.
There seems to be mutually contradictory things in Seki’s story. First she says she only works in advance but starts working before payment. She complains about Bill *refusing* payment but says he isn’t answering her e-mails. If that’s how she treats her customers I am steering waaaay clear.
Dave, the characterization of occasionally ascerbic and quick-tempered compared to the carpet f-bombing on her blog strikes me as quite understated.
This is starting to come together – I’ve seen Seki’s rant (complete with contradictions), Bill’s documentation and now the “ascerbic and quick-tempered” comment.
Circumstancial, yes – but looks like Seki is flying off the handle, going off half-cocked, etc., etc.
*yawn*
Thanks for the support, Dave. Cretins will be cretins.
You’re welcome. I don’t usually refer, myself, to folks commenting on my site as cretins — but, then, I didn’t actually intend this to be a forum for folks to speculate back and forth on things. I think (public) discussion beyond the initial post and response is probably neither productive nor well-founded.
Bullcookies, this is about nothing more than politics…as are entirely too many things these days. Grow a spine lefties…quit whining like a bunch of ninnys…and deal with it – your characterless man lost!
Stand tall Bill, you’ll prevail.
It’s always hard to tell who is correct in situations like this. Dave makes the point that
I think (public) discussion beyond the initial post and response is probably neither productive nor well-founded.
In that case, Dave, why did you contribute to advertising a quarrel you know absolutely nothing about?
Zak:
(1) I didn’t know “absolutely nothing” about it, knew at least one aspect of the dispute that goes beyond the facts as currently publically known. Nothing conclusive, but enough to support, for me, my belief that this was not just some knee-jerk out-of-nowhere whackiness by Seki.
(2) Your point is well-taken, though. I considered it simply a straightforward statement of support for a friend, and someone I trust. Looking back on it, that is not necessarily differnet than what Bill’s supporters are apparently doing. As such, I probably added unnecessary fuel to the flames, which I regret.
Jo:
In point of fact, Jo, you actually *do* know “absolutely nothing” about it. At least as to root causes. Not everything is about politics, and not everyone who disagrees with or has a dispute with Bill is a spineless ninny leftie Kerry supporter. Really-truly.
I thought Jo was joking….
Jo’s is not the only comment to that end that I’ve seen. Perhaps I am missing a big joke.
Just a point of clarification, Dave: I don’t know if you were referring to my post on this subject when you referred to “Evil Bush-Haters Who Are Out To Get A Bush Supporter.” But if you were, my parenthetical comment about anti-Bush screamers was an attempt to inject a bit of levity into the subject. I don’t know what Seki’s politics are, and I wasn’t even directing my joking comment in her direction. Written humor is a talent that often escapes me.
I just hope the two of them work it out.
Well, that, and a comment on Bill’s post, and a couple of other places (including here). So either a lot of people had the same idea of levity (altogether possible), or I’m just overly sensitized to folks leaping to the conclusion (in either direction) that everything’s all about Those Evil Differently-Politicked Folks.
Billing disputes are part and parcel of doing business. There is a maxim in business that the customer is always right. This whole sad affair is a cautionary tale about how not to do business. Even collection agencies are nice to you until you are several months behind. Interestingly enough, this does intersect with politics. Namely, this is analogous with the blame the voters diatribe going on right now. As I have said before, that if the election was a business that it would be bad business. You never blame the customer. We now have an example of precisely this in the business realm. That curious intersection is what is causing Bill’s supporters to raise the whole who did Seki vote for issue. Occam’s razor would tell us that this is a simply a misunderstanding between a vendor and a customer. Raising the issue on the blogosphere with its conspiratorial tendencies is simply foolish. Remember, InDCJournal was one of the epicenters of the whole RatherGate earthquake.
Dave appears to have some inside knowledge of why Seki was “right”. But, such arguments should almost always be abandoned because while it might be emotionally satisfying to win them, the victory is almost always Pyrhhic. This case appears to be no exception.
And I guess we’ll leave it at this (and close the comments unless something New and Exciting comes up).