What you're saying about Michael is very unjust, and it's simply not true. You probably won't publish this either, that's ok I guess.

Sarah

Posted by Sarah at 10:59 AM, May 26, 2006 [Link]

Dori Smith of backupbrain.com is a liar. You are calling Michael a spammer, but how come noone will post the whole story, or allow him to defend himself. I'm from Poland, and you are behaving like the old communist regime that was here. Maybe you can send him to siberia too, eh?

Please publish the email he sent to Dori, but that she doesn't want you to see. You publicly accuse him, so allow me to publicly defend him.

Helping michael, Gosia from Kraków

Reply-To: "Michael S. Cox" From: "Michael S. Cox" To: Subject: Dori Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 09:38:09 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_005A_01C67FDE.EF1E5E90" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2180 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

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Dori,

I spent about 10 minutes typing a final cease and desist letter, but I = thought I would go ahead and step out of defense mode for a second, and = to try and communicate with you. What inspired this, was I was just = talking to a friend about this situation, and he was like "na man, she's = just given you a hard time, where's your sense of humor". So I thought = about that for a bit, I don't know you, or what your sense of humor is = like. So... I'll go ahead and give you the benefit of the doubt, and = believe that you don't truly have intentions of leaving those statements = about me being spammer live online indefinitely, and that you don't wish = me harm. Your are just giving me a hard time, right? =20

Now Dori, I contacted you about chalcedony.com, because I was sincerely = interested in purchasing it from you. It's a cool domain that I could = definitely develop and get some good long term use out of. I was = shocked by your response, "are you Michael S. Cox the spammer, no we = don't want your money". So I'm reading this and thinking crap, this = person thinks I'm a spammer, I've got numerous internet assets spread = across the web, some with AdSense and Yahoo ads, so naturally I said, = "no it's someone else, if you want to sale the domain drop me a note". = I blew you off because I don't want anyone damaging my financial assets, = specially I don't want someone heading on over to a website of mine with = PPC ads, and attempting to get me banned from one of the publisher = networks, simply stated, I don't want enemies. Money and assets aside, = you insulted before I even had a chance to discuss the matter with you = civilly, sorry but I'm not going to fend off allegations from someone = that I don't even know, I don't have the time or energy for that, or the = need, and apparently too much pride. I did not expect you to respond = the second email, I thought it would get you off my case, and it would = end there. Your second email which from my point of view was far more = vehement than the first, really pissed me off, I'll say it straight. = I'm reading it thinking "what is up with this lady"? I then thought = "hell no, I'm not going to defend myself against this person's = allegations and insults", you insulted me Dori, but you don't even know = me. I hate spam mailers as much as you, and I certainly don't want to = labeled one, as I'm not.

Second concern, I owned Autumn Gallery until about January of this year. = I sold the website and domain over at sitepoint.com, as you noted. My = fear was, and is now somewhat justified, that if you knew I was the same = Michael S. Cox, you would not believe that I don't own the website, and = you would try and damage it either by defamation, or by PPC fraud. The = guy that owns the site, his name is Vadim, he's really nice guy, and I = especially don't want anything bad to happed to him or his website as a = result of some pointless feud that we have cooked up over nothing.

Now to the real core of the problem here. The email over at debian, and = I'm sure it's not the only one there, wasn't spam. Autumn Gallery had = at one point over 4000 reciprocal links in it's directory. Now keep = mind, I was stupid enough at the time, to try and manage that all = manually, without any form of computer software, link programs etc. = What happened, and it happened several times, is I kept sending by = mistake the same link exchange request to the same people, people that = had already linked with me. So obviously some of these people got = annoyed, others got outright pissed off. I wasn't doing this with = malicious intent, I wasn't marketing Viagra, I especially wasn't = marketing my own products via spam, I was simply trying to manage a = directory of links that got at one point completely unmanageable. So, = obviously one of these people or several for that matter, sent in = complaints about getting repeated link requests. I operated the site = for nearly 4 years, so I think it's inevitable that when you are sending = out email to clients, wholesale shops, etc, emails are going caught in = spam filters, sent to the wrong people, etc. Autumn Gallery also had a = mailing list of about 2000 subscribers I think it was, I even had a = couple of those people say "what the hell are you sending me this email = for, and then realizing they were on the list". So I may be guilty of = poor website management, annoying my link partners, but nothing more.

So Dori, to make a long story short, I don't spam people, and confronted = with insults from a stranger, I would just rather turn a cheek and walk = away. I have God given right to want to protect all of my assets, I'm = just like anyone else. I translated your initial email as "a threat to = me", and I reacted accordingly. I have an enormous amount of hard work = and money invested in internet assets as I mentioned, I was stupid for = trying to maintain anonymity with you when it clearly wasn't possible, = but I didn't do it out of malice or anything sinister, I was just trying = to walk away from the situation without creating a enemy, without = creating any problems.

I'm sorry for what I said to you, I don't believe you are ugly. In fact = I saw a photo, I think it was of you and husband [via Google images], = you both look like a very nice couple. I'm actually from California as = well, I grew up in Whittier down south of you, my folks and I moved up = to Hillsboro, Oregon when I was about 10. When I was 21 I got a = scholarship to study at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, I = fell in love with city and have been living here ever since. Anyways, = I'm not telling you this because you are interested, it's my attempt to = put a bit of a human side to myself.

So please, we don't have to be friends, but we don't have to be enemies = either. This is a misunderstanding that has over boiled over. Please = remove the spammer comments about me, that's all I am asking. There is = no need for this to escalate any further. I really hope that you can = read this, and understand my point of view on the events as they = unfolded. I'm doing some really cool things online [none of which = include spam :)], so please help me out here.

I hope you can fix this for me Dori. If you could even type out a small = retract, that would be so very much appreciated. It could say something = like "Michael S. Cox was a rude arse to me in an email, and even lied = about his identity in a lame attempt to shelter himself, but it turns = out he's not a spammer." Or you could even just create page that says = "Michael S. Cox is asshole" if you can't forgive me for being cruel to = you. I have sent this to you in sincerity and good faith. Please meet = me in the middle, and let's bury our grievances. Any other way of = dealing with this is wasted time for both us.

I await your reply, Michael

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Dori,   I spent about 10 minutes typing = a final=20 cease and desist letter, but I thought I would go ahead and step out of = defense=20 mode for a second, and to try and communicate with you.  = What=20 inspired this, was I was just talking to a friend about this situation, = and he=20 was like "na man, she's just given you a hard time, where's your sense = of=20 humor".  So I thought about that for a bit, I don't know you, or = what your=20 sense of humor is like.  So...  I'll go ahead and give you the = benefit=20 of the doubt, and believe that you don't truly have intentions of = leaving those=20 statements about me being spammer live online indefinitely, and that you = don't=20 wish me harm.  Your are just giving me a hard time,=20 right?     Now Dori, I contacted you = about=20 chalcedony.com, because I was sincerely interested in purchasing it from =

you.  It's a cool domain that I could definitely develop and get = some good=20 long term use out of.  I was shocked by your response, "are you = Michael S.=20 Cox the spammer, no we don't want your money".  So I'm reading this = and=20 thinking crap, this person thinks I'm a spammer, I've got numerous = internet=20 assets spread across the web, some with AdSense and Yahoo ads, so = naturally I=20 said, "no it's someone else, if you want to sale the domain drop me a=20 note".  I blew you off because I don't want anyone damaging my = financial=20 assets, specially I don't want someone heading on over to a website of = mine with=20 PPC ads, and attempting to get me banned from one of the publisher = networks,=20 simply stated, I don't want enemies.  Money and assets aside, you = insulted=20 before I even had a chance to discuss the matter with you civilly, sorry = but I'm=20 not going to fend off allegations from someone that I don't even know, I = don't=20 have the time or energy for that, or the need, and apparently too much=20 pride.  I did not expect you to respond the second email, I thought = it=20 would get you off my case, and it would end there.  Your second = email which=20 from my point of view was far more vehement than the first, really = pissed me=20 off, I'll say it straight.  I'm reading it thinking "what is up = with this=20 lady"?  I then thought "hell no, I'm not going to defend myself = against=20 this person's allegations and insults", you insulted me Dori, but = you don't=20 even know me.  I hate spam mailers as much as you, and I certainly = don't=20 want to labeled one, as I'm not.   Second concern, I owned Autumn = Gallery=20 until about January of this year.  I sold the website and domain = over at=20 sitepoint.com, as you noted.  My fear was, and is now somewhat = justified,=20 that if you knew I was the same Michael S. Cox, you would not believe = that I=20 don't own the website, and you would try and damage it either by = defamation, or=20 by PPC fraud.  The guy that owns the site, his name is Vadim, he's = really=20 nice guy, and I especially don't want anything bad to happed to him or = his=20 website as a result of some pointless feud that we have cooked up over=20 nothing.   Now to the real core of the = problem=20 here.  The email over at debian, and I'm sure it's not the only one = there,=20 wasn't spam.  Autumn Gallery had at one point over 4000 reciprocal = links in=20 it's directory.  Now keep mind, I was stupid enough at the time, to = try and=20 manage that all manually, without any form of computer software, link = programs=20 etc.  What happened, and it happened several times, is I kept = sending by=20 mistake the same link exchange request to the same people, people that = had=20 already linked with me.  So obviously some of these people got = annoyed,=20 others got outright pissed off.  I wasn't doing this with malicious = intent,=20 I wasn't marketing Viagra, I especially wasn't marketing my own products = via=20 spam, I was simply trying to manage a directory of links that got at one = point=20 completely unmanageable.  So, obviously one of these people or = several for=20 that matter, sent in complaints about getting repeated link = requests.  I=20 operated the site for nearly 4 years, so I think it's inevitable that = when you=20 are sending out email to clients, wholesale shops, etc, emails are going = caught=20 in spam filters, sent to the wrong people, etc.  Autumn Gallery = also had a=20 mailing list of about 2000 subscribers I think it was, I even had a = couple of=20 those people say "what the hell are you sending me this email for, and = then=20 realizing they were on the list".  So I may be guilty of poor = website=20 management, annoying my link partners, but nothing more.   So Dori, to make a long story = short, I=20 don't spam people, and confronted with insults from a stranger, I would = just=20 rather turn a cheek and walk away.  I have God given right to want = to=20 protect all of my assets, I'm just like anyone else.  I = translated=20 your initial email as "a threat to me", and I reacted accordingly.  = I have=20 an enormous amount of hard work and money invested in internet = assets as I=20 mentioned, I was stupid for trying to maintain anonymity with you when = it=20 clearly wasn't possible, but I didn't do it out of malice or anything = sinister,=20 I was just trying to walk away from the situation without creating a = enemy,=20 without creating any problems.   I'm sorry for what I said to = you, I don't=20 believe you are ugly.  In fact I saw a photo, I think it was of you = and=20 husband [via Google images], you both look like a very nice = couple.  I'm=20 actually from California as well, I grew up in Whittier down south of = you, my=20 folks and I moved up to Hillsboro, Oregon when I was about 10.  = When I was=20 21 I got a scholarship to study at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, = Poland, I=20 fell in love with city and have been living here ever since.  = Anyways, I'm=20 not telling you this because you are interested, it's my attempt to put = a bit of=20 a human side to myself.   So please, we don't have to be = friends, but=20 we don't have to be enemies either.  This is a misunderstanding = that has=20 over boiled over.  Please remove the spammer comments about me, = that's all=20 I am asking.  There is no need for this to escalate any = further.  I=20 really hope that you can read this, and understand my point of view on = the=20 events as they unfolded.  I'm doing some really cool things online = [none of=20 which include spam :)], so please help me out here.   I hope you can fix this for me = Dori. =20 If you could even type out a small retract, that would be so very much=20 appreciated.  It could say something like "Michael S. Cox was a = rude arse=20 to me in an email, and even lied about his identity in a lame attempt to = shelter=20 himself, but it turns out he's not a spammer."  Or you could even = just=20 create page that says "Michael S. Cox is asshole" if you can't forgive = me for=20 being cruel to you.  I have sent this to you in sincerity and good=20 faith.  Please meet me in the middle, and let's bury our = grievances. =20 Any other way of dealing with this is wasted time for both = us.   I await your = reply, Michael                                          

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Posted by gosia at 4:39 AM, May 27, 2006 [Link]