Dear Ganiman, (op updated)

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

find it rather hillarious that pre-fundraiser, you and the rest of your administration team adamantly refused to move (read: sell) FFXIClopedia to Wikia, and instead decided to raise money so you could host it yourselves.

Pre-owned like the 10% off games at gamestop

How much of the history do you know behind that? Oh yea, none.

Enlighten me then.

[Akanei]

Hmm... do I bet on Taj or the losing team?

..No brainer.

[divisortheory]

I have already been told by Angela Beesley that you will not
host these things for us. Another reason I choose not to host with
you is that we will have no control over the advertisements that show
up on our wiki. They will also be placed in undesirable places. I
will lose full control of my site. The biggest appeal to our site is
that it is run by players for players. If it were to move to Wikia,
it would no longer be run by players. In fact, it would draw unwanted
attention and unwanted editors.

One of the many quotes from Ganiman about turning down Wikia. He has on many occasions becried how bad it would be for FFXIclopedia and that was the reason behind the fundraiser.

Regardless. People donated to help pay for new servers. He scammed their money. He has to return every penny, nothing else.

<_________________________________________________ ____________<

I didn't say he shouldn't return the money, he should. I said anyone who acts like this was planned all along is a fucking idiot.

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

Actually divisortheory, our issue is with this gem

When we had the fundraiser nobody had even approached us about moving to Wikia and we had no idea anyone was going to approach us about going to Wikia".

Obviously he was approached. If he didn't plan the move than it's just a total lack of foresight.

[Luto]

Who's saying it they think it was planned all along? I bet it's "Oh hey I have a bunch of money in my paypal/etc account. Better take Wikia instead."

Even if it isn't like that, people donated for the Wiki to get it's own servers, correct? And now it's on an ads based free host, correct? That isn't what people donated their money to/for.

[divisortheory]

Actually divisortheory, our issue is with this gem

When we had the fundraiser nobody had even approached us about moving to Wikia and we had no idea anyone was going to approach us about going to Wikia".

Obviously he was approached. If he didn't plan the move than it's just a total lack of foresight.

Ok, my bad. He was approached, but at the time he had no intention of moving. That's a fact, like it or not. He didn't think "well i'll say no for now, then move later". You should see the emails he originally wrote to Jimbo Wales, they were harsh and consisted of what some might consider as personal insults. If I were Jimbo, I wouldn't have even pursued FFXIclopedia anymore just based on principle because I don't like being treated like shit.

people are saying the money wasn't used for what it was raised for. That's a flat out lie, money was collected to pay a monthly fee of somewhere between $800-$1000 for the servers. Out of about $9k that was raised, money was taken from that fund every month, as promised, to pay $800-$1000 for the servers. Again, I agree the rest of the money should probably find its way back to the donors. But get your facts straight at least.

[ringthree]

What exactly could his side of the story be?

"I wanted to get a relic."

"I wanted booze."

"I wanted hookers."

"Well, I was all for using the donation money for buying a server for us, but then I saw it was $7,000 in my PayPal account and I can't find a way to end this sentence without lying."

Is everyone in this thread completely dense? How about E) "When we had the fundraiser nobody had even approached us about moving to Wikia and we had no idea anyone was going to approach us about going to Wikia".

There probably is some extra money somewhere, and don't ask me what's gonna happen to it, but don't be a complete retard and act like this has been planned all along.

Man, I was wondering when I might hear a voice of reason in this thread. The lemming nature of this thread is just shocking. Besides the fact that I would guess almost none of the people here donated money, people are acting like donating money makes them share-holders in some kind of corporation. It doesn't, get over it.

If you don't like the wiki, then don't use it. If you want to make your own, then do it. If you want an explanation then ask for one. But whining because you donated money to a website then they took a different direction speaks volumes to your lack of understanding about the real world, money and how they operate.

[SephYuyX]

Not to mention they didnt actually purchase any servers, they were renting them in a server farm. And what, its been, 3 months? $7k =/= 3 months rent.

[divisortheory]

Not to mention they didnt actually purchase any servers, they were renting them in a server farm. And what, its been, 3 months? $7k =/= 3 months rent.

4 months.

[ringthree]

Who's saying it they think it was planned all along? I bet it's "Oh hey I have a bunch of money in my paypal/etc account. Better take Wikia instead."

Even if it isn't like that, people donated for the Wiki to get it's own servers, correct? And now it's on an ads based free host, correct? That isn't what people donated their money to/for.

This, I believe, is factually incorrect, because they did purchase new servers, etc. That money is gone. Deal. Let me be clear on this. Donating money to a website gives you ZERO say in what the website does. If you want to prove fraud you have to prove malicious intent, you can't, so stop complaining.

I am sure everyone would like an explanation, but you have no Right to one. And honestly, if you give it more than half a day, you might even get one.

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

Actually divisortheory, our issue is with this gem

When we had the fundraiser nobody had even approached us about moving to Wikia and we had no idea anyone was going to approach us about going to Wikia".

Obviously he was approached. If he didn't plan the move than it's just a total lack of foresight.

Ok, my bad. He was approached, but at the time he had no intention of moving. That's a fact, like it or not. He didn't think "well i'll say no for now, then move later". You should see the emails he originally wrote to Jimbo Wales, they were harsh and consisted of what some might consider as personal insults. If I were Jimbo, I wouldn't have even pursued FFXIclopedia anymore just based on principle because I don't like being treated like shit.

people are saying the money wasn't used for what it was raised for. That's a flat out lie, money was collected to pay a monthly fee of somewhere between $800-$1000 for the servers. Out of about $9k that was raised, money was taken from that fund every month, as promised, to pay $800-$1000 for the servers. Again, I agree the rest of the money should probably find its way back to the donors. But get your facts straight at least.

Get MY facts straight?

I'm not the one who posted he wasn't approached.

Don't insult me, just take being wrong like a man.




I like my women like I like my divisortheory


Frequently wrong but completely delusional

[Luto]

Maybe I didn't quite understand it when it was explained to me, but as I understood it, the fund raiser was to get their own servers. As I also understand it, Wikia is a free host that profits from ads/etc.

Donating money to a website gives you ZERO say in what the website does.

Pretty sure that if a fund raiser is for a specific thing, it would be used for that >_>?

[LinktheDeme]

Donating is a big scam for the most parts for a lot of things. Even all those organizations like those things about helping childeren in such only give a small fraction of what they get to the actual people. I forgot the actual percentage of how much money organazations actually do what they say they are going to do with the money.

[Liquidedust]

Not to mention they didnt actually purchase any servers, they were renting them in a server farm. And what, its been, 3 months? $7k =/= 3 months rent.

Not to play the Devil's Advocate here or anything (since I do not agree with what happens happened with the Wiki to Wikia) but $7000 might sound a lot to people for traffic alone, it actually isn't a whole lot. I have some insight into a what a few site servers with the equalent traffic of the Wiki actually costs per month and $1500-2000 per month for dedicated bandwidth alone is not something that is completely out of the blue or an alien concept.

While shared low-end bandwidth is extremely cheap today the amount of dedicated bandwith a site such as the Wiki actually needs will cost you an arm and a leg.

Now before anyone flame me on that topic, I do not actually agree with how this transfer is performed but just wanted to inform you that bandwidth isn't as people believe it to be.

[Kononeko]

What exactly could his side of the story be?

"I wanted to get a relic."

"I wanted booze."

"I wanted hookers."

"Well, I was all for using the donation money for buying a server for us, but then I saw it was $7,000 in my PayPal account and I can't find a way to end this sentence without lying."

Is everyone in this thread completely dense? How about E) "When we had the fundraiser nobody had even approached us about moving to Wikia and we had no idea anyone was going to approach us about going to Wikia".

There probably is some extra money somewhere, and don't ask me what's gonna happen to it, but don't be a complete retard and act like this has been planned all along.

Man, I was wondering when I might hear a voice of reason in this thread. The lemming nature of this thread is just shocking. Besides the fact that I would guess almost none of the people here donated money, people are acting like donating money makes them share-holders in some kind of corporation. It doesn't, get over it.

If you don't like the wiki, then don't use it. If you want to make your own, then do it. If you want an explanation then ask for one. But whining because you donated money to a website then they took a different direction speaks volumes to your lack of understanding about the real world, money and how they operate.

Hmm I was under the impression that when you donated to a cause that maybe, just maybe, the people that donated want to see it go to that. I mean I could be wrong, after all millions of people donate to the United Way and it is well known that there money doesn't go to what they donated it for, but it's get distributed as the United Way see fit. but well the the only other cause that this could have donated to other then the website was well, the aforementioned hookers and booze.

[divisortheory]

Not to mention they didnt actually purchase any servers, they were renting them in a server farm. And what, its been, 3 months? $7k =/= 3 months rent.

Not to play the Devil's Advocate here or anything (since I do not agree with what happens happened with the Wiki to Wikia) but $7000 might sound a lot to people for traffic alone, it actually isn't a whole lot. I have some insight into a what a few site servers with the equalent traffic of the Wiki actually costs per month and $1500-2000 per month for dedicated bandwidth alone is not something that is completely out of the blue or an alien concept.

While shared low-end bandwidth is extremely cheap today the amount of dedicated bandwith a site such as the Wiki actually needs will cost you an arm and a leg.

Now before anyone flame me on that topic, I do not actually agree with how this transfer is performed but just wanted to inform you that bandwidth isn't as people believe it to be.

They originally asked for $12,000 which would provide servers + bandwidth + small buffer for emergency support for a total of 12 months. So you can assume it was about $1k / month. They raised $9k total. Do the rest of the math.

That being said, moving to Wikia also involves lawyers. If they used the remaining $5k to pay for legal fees associated with the transfer, that is totally fair and in line with what they originally said the money would be used for. Not saying they did, but it's possible and something to consider.

[JoOeetheplatypuS]

What if the reason people decided to donate was so that it didn't have to move to wikia?

[Fallso]

Not to mention they didnt actually purchase any servers, they were renting them in a server farm. And what, its been, 3 months? $7k =/= 3 months rent.

Not to play the Devil's Advocate here or anything (since I do not agree with what happens happened with the Wiki to Wikia) but $7000 might sound a lot to people for traffic alone, it actually isn't a whole lot. I have some insight into a what a few site servers with the equalent traffic of the Wiki actually costs per month and $1500-2000 per month for dedicated bandwidth alone is not something that is completely out of the blue or an alien concept.

While shared low-end bandwidth is extremely cheap today the amount of dedicated bandwith a site such as the Wiki actually needs will cost you an arm and a leg.

Now before anyone flame me on that topic, I do not actually agree with how this transfer is performed but just wanted to inform you that bandwidth isn't as people believe it to be.

They originally asked for $12,000 which would provide servers + bandwidth + small buffer for emergency support for a total of 12 months. So you can assume it was about $1k / month. They raised $9k total. Do the rest of the math.

That being said, moving to Wikia also involves lawyers. If they used the remaining $5k to pay for legal fees associated with the transfer, that is totally fair and in line with what they originally said the money would be used for. Not saying they did, but it's possible and something to consider.

Mierin is an attorney, so that would've been free I assume seeing as she's an admin

[Missnasty]

Not to mention they didnt actually purchase any servers, they were renting them in a server farm. And what, its been, 3 months? $7k =/= 3 months rent.

Not to play the Devil's Advocate here or anything (since I do not agree with what happens happened with the Wiki to Wikia) but $7000 might sound a lot to people for traffic alone, it actually isn't a whole lot. I have some insight into a what a few site servers with the equalent traffic of the Wiki actually costs per month and $1500-2000 per month for dedicated bandwidth alone is not something that is completely out of the blue or an alien concept.

While shared low-end bandwidth is extremely cheap today the amount of dedicated bandwith a site such as the Wiki actually needs will cost you an arm and a leg.

Now before anyone flame me on that topic, I do not actually agree with how this transfer is performed but just wanted to inform you that bandwidth isn't as people believe it to be.

Just out of curiosity, how much does it cost per month to run these forums? Not like it's anyone's business but I think that could be comparable to the wiki's costs.

[divisortheory]

Just out of curiosity, how much does it cost per month to run these forums? Not like it's anyone's business but I think that could be comparable to the wiki's costs.

It's not even close