A little gag created by one of the staff members during the peak of the conflict.
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HolyWar 2.0??
After over a year of peace and prosperity from any disputes, our page was able to grow to the point where we managed to assemble a large staff and even get our own domain name. But like a bad law of physics, all things good go questioned, and thus, the page was thrown in yet another dispute.
Fall, 1997
The second BIG revision of the page is made. Though I felt the redesign of the page was great, I felt that the layout was just one step "below" that of being a professional looking page. True, the new layout was great and a step in the right direction, but I was going to need to come-up with a new layout format to put the page over the edge.
January 1998
The second BIG revision of the page is made. Though I felt the redesign of the page was great, I felt that the layout was just one step "below" that of being a professional looking page. True, the new layout was great and a step in the right direction, but I was going to need to come-up with a new layout format to put the page over the edge.
After studying and looking at different layout formats on the web, I decided that the professional look I wanted could be achieved using a simple but great looking layout format I saw on many pages. This format consisted of divide the page into two tables: the left side contained all the links on the page and the right contained the data from the link. I felt this would be a great idea, because our website has a lot of section and I was afraid I was loosing people because not everyone saw the heavy content the page has on first glance.
So, work on this new design was start. I got some work done, but I dropped the whole thing because Zophar's Domain came-out with a new page format similar to what I was shooting for.
Early August 1998
For months I tried to come-up with a better layout format. I even tossed the idea of using frames around, but in the end, I concluded that the design I wanted was the one I started working on months earlier. True, Zophar's Domain was the first emulator page to boast the layout format I was trying to add to my page, but the main design and structure of the 'Zone would be totally different. So, I continued work on the new design and made it public once it was done.
Mid to Late August 1998
The new layout is made public. I emailed the guy handling the Links section on Zophar's Domain
to give the 'Zone a second look for better star rating. He raised it from 2 to 4 and give us a more positive discription
on the site.
The 'Zone was also facing an uncertain future at this time. I knew that I would not be able to continue the
hard work I was putting into the page come September, because I was going to be attending a new school in the fall. So, I also asked Jim of the EmuNews Service to post a
message on his site to mention that I needed help in order to keep the 'Zone alive. The responce I got from the public was huge! Many people that volinteered to help
us out are with us today, like Sephiroth and "TheFreak." I even got an email from Zach, the old Coleco system section maintainer.
Appearently, he was having some good luck with his hosting business and offered to host us and get us our own domain name!
September 22, 1998
We switched over to the new server. An announcement of our new location and our new domain name
is made on the EmuNews Service website. As soon as it posted, I got what you could say was a "warm welcome" from two of Zophar's Domain's staff:
Misc. News: Zophar's Domain Ripoff?
23:25: As Links page maintainer, I feel obligated to relay this bit of info to you all...if someone already hasn't. I'm sure more ZD staff members will want to make news note about this as well.
Emulation Zone requested that I link to them, however, upon viewing their page, I saw a mirror of ZD with the colors changed. Heck, they even used my backup "Made with Notepad" graphic. This type of lameness shouldn't be tolerated amoung ourselves, and I encourage future web page designers not to "steal" the looks of other more popular sites, thinking that it will make you cool.
Sorry if I seem harsh, but I'll gladly rip up a site that is a rip off. The above comments are MINE and may not necessarily represent the views of other ZD staff members, Malicia, nor any other affiliated source.
Misc. News: Ripping ZD is becoming a trend
![news by [noam]]([noam].gif)
23:24: http://www.emulationzone.org/
Well well well, looky here folks, a newly reformed page. It's so cool looking i'm going to just go there everyday from now on.
Let's see what we can find out...
Wow, his tables look...familiar..
Hrm, he's got a staff AND icons...wow..where've I seen that?
Oh and wow, look at that copyright at the bottom, this is clearly his own work.
Hrm, as I recall this is also the same person who stole information from Zophar and from Avatar_Z way back in the day. Yeah this guy is your genuine nut.
Feel free to voice your opinion to him at wacko@javanet.com.
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I ripped Zophar? HA! Here are my counter arguements to their public annoucment.
That "Made with Notepad" graphic was made be ME! Not someone else.
ME. I made about 2 years ago and I have people that will back me up on
this claim. Also, that logo has been proudly displayed on all my big webpages
since early 1997. I suggest you stop the BS, SG.
I ripped Avatar_Z (Node 99)? Ha ha ha! You should change your name from [Noam] to [Foam], because apparently, thats
all you have in your head! You still havn't seen the truth yet, haven't you?
I suggest you review the Holy War page. Appearently, Avatar_Z has had you fooled for almost 2 years now.
It's time you read the truth!
As for stealing information from Zophar and Avatar_Z, what they hell are you talking about? I never stole ANYTHING information
(or layout designs) from either of them. Period. (Nice try with the BS, [Foam].)
Hmm, I ripped Zophar Domain's staff... Hmm, that is a very hard thing to do. I can't believe I
found a way of cloning humans. Hay, isn't that again U.S. law?
Seriously though, I had a staff for over a year now. The idea of extra help is as old as the idea of paid labor.
A page listing the staff members is nothing new either, along with logos for some people's alias.
The copyright at the bottom IS of my own work: I wrote it myself.
I asked the Links maintainer for a better star rating, not a link,
and this was MONTHS ago, not recently. And that was after I changed my
page's layout, so he/she/it saw my new page's layout. They even upgraded
my rating from 2 to 4 stars. So to the links maintainer saw my site and
didn't say anything like "hay you ripped his page."
Instead, he gave my page positive feedback, until that day, were he/she/it tried to cripple my reputation.
I had my layout design for months. True, Zophar Domain posted it before me.
You win on that, Zophar. Congrats. True, the main
page looks a little similar to Zophar's, but that was never my
intention. You will see that I am telling the truth if you take a second look.
If you are still skeptical about my statement, then look at the 'Zones pages again, and give the historical archives section a visit.
You will see that my page evolved to it current format, and thus it was not a rip-off from someone elses page.
Still not convinced? Try comparing how to find a listing of Genesis emulators, or
N64 tech information on one to the other and see how they are found,
presented, displayed and what is avaliable. Compare what my site covers
and what his doesn't and what his does and my doesn't. Different content. Different layouts. Different structure.
Compare how the page is structured, and how each page's layout is
constructed. Hmm, hard to find any similarities, eh?? I wonder why?
And Finally) I find it oh too suspicious that this event occurred as soon as my page finally received its own domain name. No one said anything about my small humble page "ripping" another page until I hit the big time*. My page was mentioned on the EmuNews service as "being in trouble." I got alot of publicity, and not
ONE "you ripped Zophar" email. No one bitched about the page's layout until the announcement on EmuNews was made that I got my own domain name. Sure, kill the guy trying to make a name for him self in the emulation scene.
I feel that the two staff member Zophar's Domain are just pissed because someone other then them have worked hard for 2 years creating a webpage that finally hit it big. Now they want to shoot it down because of their jealousy: because it not THEIRS. They are doing whatever it takes to stop my success by misleading the public with false information and unproductive action. To them, I say "Pathetic." You are damaging the Emulation Scene, Zophar's Domain, and all the good people in the emulation scene because of your jealously.
* Node99 insident exclude. See the holywar page for the complete details
on that seprate insident.
Epilogue
What the Public Thought
The opinions and views I expressed are not of my own, but by an overwhelming majority of the people who emailed me. The email messages I received during this incident were in support for my argument, and not Zophar's. They include email messages from some of Zophar's own staff and from some of the big names in the Emulation Scene. (They chose to remain anonymous.)
Not Everyone Wants a Grudge
True, not everyone on Zophar's staff wanted a grudge. Here's proof. This announcement was posted on Zophar's Domain a few weeks after the incident occurred.
10/7/98
Frontend News: The Frontend Central (FEC)
02:19: Do you like frontends? If you do, then there's a site that completely (or, heh, almost completely) dedicated to frontends. This site is called The Frontend Central. I've taken a look at the pages, and the design looks really good. Also, if you're making a frontend, you can join FEC as a member and get some publicity.
Then, finally. Here's the URL: http://www.emulationzone.org/fec/. Have fun :)
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It's not much, but aleast we are not "shunned" by them.
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