4 ms·

Slackware maintainer getting ripped off

124 points by runamok 8y ago

keithpeter 8y ago
I'm glad someone posted this. TDLR; Patrick Volkerding (BDfL and developer of Slackware) needs financial assistance to work on Slackware but the donation button and proceeds of sales of DVDs and merchandise do not go directly to PV at present, and he has asked the company to remove the donation link. PV's statement is at post 8 in the thread, direct link below https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/slackware-14/donating-to-slackware-4175634729/#post5882751 https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/slackware-14/donati...
- wheresvic1 8y ago
  Oh man that's really terrible to hear. I remember starting my linux journey with Slackware and 13 years later I couldn't imagine using anything other than linux for my work! So how would one go about donating to him?
  - keithpeter 8y ago
    That is exactly the problem. The statement from PV suggests that he has had the donate link removed from Slackware's web site as it pointed to the company, and PV is not receiving donations directly from the company. All we can do at present is monitor the tail of the linuxquestions thread for the appearance of something like a direct Paypal account or whatever.
nwah1 8y ago
Awful. This needs to be voted up.
gbraad 8y ago
I would strongly suggest him to remove the DNS entries for the store, snd redirect to a cafepress or donation page instead.
vatrikpolk 8y ago
I'll throw a bitcoin into this (1.0 btc.) I suggest people do the same. Please post the bitcoin donation address.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
  - justinclift 8y ago
    Transaction history here: https://www.blockchain.com/en/btc/address/1H4aJjxzKe4DdmiUXFxKh7hZU6m4Qnb8DH https://www.blockchain.com/en/btc/address/1H4aJjxzKe4DdmiUXF... Seems like yours is the only one (~$US500) so far. People will probably need confirmation of the address directly from the person in question first though, so to safe. :)
  - velcrovan 8y ago
    Without confirmation from Pat, I am 99% sure this is bullshit. Nice try, though.
  - volkerdi 8y ago
    No, I did not. Sad to see that I made a post on LQ to try to stop someone from taking advantage of me, and a new person attempts to use that as a new opportunity to rip me off. I appreciate everyone's concerns and I'm glad to see people are internet-street-smart enough not to fall for this. Unless you see it on the website, or LQ (from me), or in the ChangeLog, or with a GPG signature, remain skeptical. And don't believe anyone who says they are collecting money to give it to me. After all, that's what the store was saying.
    - dang 8y ago
      That comment was posted by spammers who stole a legit user's account. Rather idiotic and HN users didn't fall for it.
writepub 8y ago
I tried to understand what slackware is from it's homepage, without much help. Can someone please explain what it is
- keithpeter 8y ago
  Slackware is an historically important (and actively maintained) linux distribution (like Debian and Ubuntu) The article below may help... https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20160725#slackware https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20160725#slackware
- runamok 8y ago
  Back when CDs were a thing and VERY slow modems were the norm you could find Slackware in bookstores, places like CompUSA, RadioShack, Circuit City, etc. This was many folks' first exposure to Linux, Open Source Software, etc. and led many to pursue computer related professions. For instance you can see this CD has Patrick's signature: http://www.cdaccess.com/html/pc/slack.htm http://www.cdaccess.com/html/pc/slack.htm
iforgotpassword 8y ago
Reading stories like this is really disheartening. This shows how much trust you need to put into the company you're working with to get such a store running. It seems it took a really long time til he got the actual sales figures and could know that they ripped him off. As much as one might despise big players like patreon, PayPal etc. For being huge players and probably also big in collecting user data they just don't pull shit like this. They might suddenly change policies and conditions which sucks in its own way but they're simply not just keeping your money without telling you.
HankB99 8y ago
That's awful. I can't even find a link on store.slackware.com to slackware.com. :(

124 points by runamok 8y ago

I'm glad someone posted this. TDLR; Patrick Volkerding (BDfL and developer of Slackware) needs financial assistance to work on Slackware but the donation button and proceeds of sales of DVDs and merchandise do not go directly to PV at present, and he has asked the company to remove the donation link. PV's statement is at post 8 in the thread, direct link below https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/slackware-14/donating-to-slackware-4175634729/#post5882751 https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/slackware-14/donati...

wheresvic1 8y ago
Oh man that's really terrible to hear. I remember starting my linux journey with Slackware and 13 years later I couldn't imagine using anything other than linux for my work! So how would one go about donating to him?
- keithpeter 8y ago
  That is exactly the problem. The statement from PV suggests that he has had the donate link removed from Slackware's web site as it pointed to the company, and PV is not receiving donations directly from the company. All we can do at present is monitor the tail of the linuxquestions thread for the appearance of something like a direct Paypal account or whatever.

nwah1 8y ago

Awful. This needs to be voted up.

gbraad 8y ago

I would strongly suggest him to remove the DNS entries for the store, snd redirect to a cafepress or donation page instead.

vatrikpolk 8y ago

I'll throw a bitcoin into this (1.0 btc.) I suggest people do the same. Please post the bitcoin donation address.

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
- justinclift 8y ago
  Transaction history here: https://www.blockchain.com/en/btc/address/1H4aJjxzKe4DdmiUXFxKh7hZU6m4Qnb8DH https://www.blockchain.com/en/btc/address/1H4aJjxzKe4DdmiUXF... Seems like yours is the only one (~$US500) so far. People will probably need confirmation of the address directly from the person in question first though, so to safe. :)
- velcrovan 8y ago
  Without confirmation from Pat, I am 99% sure this is bullshit. Nice try, though.
- volkerdi 8y ago
  No, I did not. Sad to see that I made a post on LQ to try to stop someone from taking advantage of me, and a new person attempts to use that as a new opportunity to rip me off. I appreciate everyone's concerns and I'm glad to see people are internet-street-smart enough not to fall for this. Unless you see it on the website, or LQ (from me), or in the ChangeLog, or with a GPG signature, remain skeptical. And don't believe anyone who says they are collecting money to give it to me. After all, that's what the store was saying.
  - dang 8y ago
    That comment was posted by spammers who stole a legit user's account. Rather idiotic and HN users didn't fall for it.

writepub 8y ago

I tried to understand what slackware is from it's homepage, without much help. Can someone please explain what it is

keithpeter 8y ago
Slackware is an historically important (and actively maintained) linux distribution (like Debian and Ubuntu) The article below may help... https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20160725#slackware https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20160725#slackware
runamok 8y ago
Back when CDs were a thing and VERY slow modems were the norm you could find Slackware in bookstores, places like CompUSA, RadioShack, Circuit City, etc. This was many folks' first exposure to Linux, Open Source Software, etc. and led many to pursue computer related professions. For instance you can see this CD has Patrick's signature: http://www.cdaccess.com/html/pc/slack.htm http://www.cdaccess.com/html/pc/slack.htm

iforgotpassword 8y ago

Reading stories like this is really disheartening. This shows how much trust you need to put into the company you're working with to get such a store running. It seems it took a really long time til he got the actual sales figures and could know that they ripped him off. As much as one might despise big players like patreon, PayPal etc. For being huge players and probably also big in collecting user data they just don't pull shit like this. They might suddenly change policies and conditions which sucks in its own way but they're simply not just keeping your money without telling you.

HankB99 8y ago

That's awful. I can't even find a link on store.slackware.com to slackware.com. :(