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Author Topic: Ken Whitman vs RPGnet  (Read 25011 times)

Ian Absentia

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #15 on: September 17, 2007, 12:35:39 PM »
Ah, the irony...

Actually, this whole thread (from RPG.net circa May 2006) is pretty interesting reading from start to finish.  Dana Jorgensen nailed Ken and Rapid POD in the second post and sewed it up by the second page.

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jrients

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #16 on: September 17, 2007, 01:12:07 PM »
Quote from: Ian Absentia
Ah, the irony...


That's precious.
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Grimjack

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #17 on: September 17, 2007, 01:38:14 PM »
I don't have any opinion one way or another regarding Ken himself but in this case he would have been better off letting the matter drop than keeping it alive with threats of defamation suits.  It probably would have been forgotten by now if he hadn't stirred things up.

I haven't handled a lot of defamation suits but they are damn hard cases to make, particularly over internet speech.
 

Sacrificial Lamb

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #18 on: September 17, 2007, 02:30:02 PM »
Quote from: J Arcane
Ehh.  I read the thread.  Ken came off like a fucking nutbar.  This is just some sad Internet MBA realizing he can't just throw his weight around like he can at the office.  Another middle management asshole with delusions of his own importance.

Uncle Bear severely exaggerates the nature of the responses in that thread.  The only guy who came out looking like an ass in that thread was Ken himself, and he got what he deserved for it.  now he's just pissed and throwing around empty threats.

I agree with you. :(

grubman

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #19 on: September 17, 2007, 02:38:23 PM »
Quote from: stu2000
I have had dealings with RPGnet and found them generally to be dicks.


I wrote a long response but I think I'll just say...funny, I haven't.

Berin Kinsman

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #20 on: September 17, 2007, 02:50:27 PM »
Quote from: jrients
Uncle Bear explains what the hell is going on and offers his take on the situation here.


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Settembrini

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #21 on: September 17, 2007, 02:53:15 PM »
Pathetic, for all parties involved.
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stu2000

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #22 on: September 17, 2007, 03:17:30 PM »
Quote from: grubman
I wrote a long response but I think I'll just say...funny, I haven't.


I'm not trying to be disproportionately mean to RPGnet. But they can be bad. And Ken was certainly being bad. I just find the whole thing to be unfortunate. I wish a little more formality came more naturally to us.
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RPGPundit

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #23 on: September 17, 2007, 03:57:18 PM »
Two comments:

1. Why isn't this Uncle Bear guy over here on theRPGsite? Someone should invite him!

2. Who the fuck is Ken Whitman, and why the fuck should I care?

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #24 on: September 17, 2007, 03:57:41 PM »
Quote from: Berin Kinsman
Thanks for the plug! While you're there, try the veal!


Ah, ok, there you are! Welcome aboard, and I hope you stick around!

RPGPundit
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flyingmice

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #25 on: September 17, 2007, 04:00:16 PM »
Glad the good Uncle is poking his ursine nose in here. :D

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Serious Paul

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #26 on: September 17, 2007, 04:03:38 PM »
Quote from: grubman
I wrote a long response but I think I'll just say...funny, I haven't.


Shhh! Careful this crowd is damaged goods man! :D

But in a more serious note all of the dealings I have had with RPG.net has shown them to be a bunch of oversensitive [various expletives here] with way too much free time on their hands. I don't have much positive to say about them-and frankly they haven't given me, or many others a reason to say nice things about them.

Mcrow

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #27 on: September 17, 2007, 04:14:21 PM »
Quote from: RPGPundit

2. Who the fuck is Ken Whitman, and why the fuck should I care?

RPGPundit


Ken is a graphic designer who worked in the RPG business. He didn't really work on many well known things but did work on a couple Dragonlance books. He used to be puslisher and published a couple games back in the late 80's early 90's.

Him most recent activity was being the owner of Rapid POD printing. He was hired by several small RPG publishers to print their books and many of them had issues with his companies work. Some books were printed very  bad, some where never done, Printed late missing the Gencon deadline he promised, and other issues. Let's just say there quite a few upset small publishers. Some of these upset publishers started a thread over on teh big purple about it as a heads up for anyone else thinking of doing business with Rapid POD. Most of the thread is just people venting their frustration about the poor service they recieved. Then Ken showed up and basically denied most all of the problems and then informed everyone he sold the company. Things got a little smarmy and in the end Ken was permabanned.

Now, Ken is threatening to sue The Big Purple and all of the people who posted in that thread unless all the posts are deleted. The moderators said they will not delete the threads.

Ian Absentia

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #28 on: September 17, 2007, 04:15:01 PM »
Quote from: RPGPundit
Two 2. Who the fuck is Ken Whitman, and why the fuck should I care?
Ken is a bit of a "promoter" in the most specious use of the word.  He's been involved in a number of RPG-related false starts, falls off the map for a couple of years, then resurfaces with another grand project.

Any number of people hold him responsible for the stumbling start and poor/premature finish of Marc Miller's Traveller (aka T4), which may not be entirely fair as it wasn't all his fault.  At the very least, as he was at the head of the production and editorial team -- a man who admittedly has difficulty writing -- you can lay responsibility for the 20+ page errata sheet for T4 at his doorstep.  That little mis-step rather put a sour taste in people's mouths from the get-go.  Despite a number of bright spots in the rest of the publishing history, it didn't get much better from there on out.

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grubman

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Ken Whitman vs RPGnet
« Reply #29 on: September 17, 2007, 04:18:14 PM »
Quote from: Serious Paul
Shhh! Careful this crowd is damaged goods man! :D

But in a more serious note all of the dealings I have had with RPG.net has shown them to be a bunch of oversensitive [various expletives here] with way too much free time on their hands. I don't have much positive to say about them-and frankly they haven't given me, or many others a reason to say nice things about them.


Well, what can I say...I like that site, I like this site...and I'm just as guilty of my moments of being an ass as anyone (probably more moments), but I have a brilliant moment every now and again too.  

I just think it's odd (and a little embarassing) for so many people on this site to bash RPGnet when they make it obvious that they care about what goes on there...sort of like the dork at high school bashing the popular kid while secretly wishing they were the popular kid.

but just my opinion.