You know, out of deference to a few friends, Zannah included, I've been writing specifically about your site and one other that pisses the hell outta me as a designer. The only thing I haven't done is mention names, because I was requested not to.

Let's deal with your thievery. Over the past few months, everytime Zannah adds a new feature, changes the layout, or alters a part of her site, you seem to follow suit. Not all the time, because I suspect you aren't capable of working the code that well, but many times. Cases in point - uhm don't your little Seraph and Back buttons on your pages look very familiar? How about your random Quote? How about the structure of your page tree (or as some people call it, site map)? How about your music choices? how about your layout styles? Sure you've changed your titles, changes a few graphics, use the default font for the browsers, but other than that, it's a mirror site. I had one friend look at both sites and actually question me on whether or not it was the same person.

You don't seem to have a creative thought, and that alone wouldn't bother me much. You know what did? That stupid, asinine babble on someone stealing your graphics and your code, and your subsequent lecture on "Credit where credit is due" (oh, and by the way, I noticed that you've since changed it. In the practice of altering your past words, are you?)

If you believed a word of what you typed, you'd have a little credit link to Zannah or Elly on every page you code (oops, that should be "lift).

Then what really drove me over the edge was hearing that you and your boyfriend (I have a LOT of netfriends, you see, and I hear things from time to time) were claiming that Zannah was stealing YOUR concepts!!!!

As a designer (and a REAL one), I have a big problem with concept thieves.... especially when they claim work as their own. I also know programmers who feel the same way when someone lifts their programs and scripts (did you get any nice mail from Glenn Davis, btw?) But that "problem" I have is magnified when it's my code being stolen, my designs, or those of my friends. And that "problem" I have gets magnified even greater when I see a hypocrite in action. And I've been witness to one for the last few months.

Don't you even realize that building a successful site, working on a good ad campaign, designing something from start to finish, etc., involves work? Involves a LOT of invested time? Involves things like sweat, effort, thought and the like? When you steal these things, and then claim them for your own, you not only hurt the individuals you steal from, but you also degrade their efforts.

What I really can't figure out is why Zannah even hangs with you. I used to bitch quite often to her about the theft I saw and witnessed, and Zannah says in return that she's friends with you, doesn't really notice what I see, and that even if it did happen, it doesn't bother her much. Well that's cool for her, and I respect that. When I told Zannah I was going to write about it (after your little credit where credit is due speech), mentioning names etc, she asked me not to.

That's why I haven't made YOUR site public on my pages - purely out of respect for Zannah and her wishes. But I can't stand intellectual theft, of which you seem to be a master at. I thought you would have clue-ed in to what I was talking about in my last email to you, in response to your "paranoia" post to me, but obviously you were either too dense to see it, or just plain blind to what it is you do.

Well this is your wake up call. This is all I'm going to say on the subject for now, but I'm going to give a word of advice. Do NOT talk about me behind my back to my friends online again. One of them, and it wasn't Zannah. gave you up. You don't even KNOW who most of my online friends are, but trust me, some of them know you, some of them know your online friends, and one of them readily gave you up. One of them gave you up when you whined about my last rants concerning intellectual theft (about 2 weeks ago) and another did it this time. Why? Who knows - I guess they don't hold you too highly.

And if I find out you are slinging me through the mud again behind my back, you'll see some very public postings, not only on my site, but on some much more "established" sites. A juicy exposure piece, filled with lots of neato controversy would be just the ticket for a few of the owners of online zines I happen to know.

I get the impression that you're sometimes a bit dense when reading things, so I'll reiterate: you trash me behind my online back again, and I hear about it (and I probably will) I'll expose you publicly. You email me again, and I'll expose you publicly. You reprint, share, or post this email, (which I bet you probably will try, but in altered form) I'll expose you. Oh, look at the cc:s to this message - just some people you don't know who are friends of mine - they will confirm that this is the mail I sent, in case you alter it in any way and post it.

You see, I'm a bit concerned that you might want to do something vindictive like alter this post to make it look like I issued physical threats, so I'm taking steps to ensure you cannot do this. Note that one of my cc's above is to my sys admin. I've also pre-contacted most of these individuals to ask them to please keep this stuff in confidence for now. Hopefully you'll learn a lesson from all of this.

That concludes our e-mail transaction. The account is closed. Don't bother replying.

Mark