RE: Symantec's "Submit a Deal" Flawed

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: Rob Rosenberger <junkmail () barnowl com>

A story on Wired.com exposed a confidential proposal to sell Vmyths to
Symantec.  InfoSec News reprinted the story.  I encourage you to first
read http://www.wired.com/news/infostructure/0,1377,57438,00.html and
then come back to this email.

I want to stress an important point -- our editorial staff CANNOT
control the sale of Vmyths.  Our investor can sell it to anyone for
any price.  On the other hand, our investor cannot control what you
read at Vmyths.  This "separation of church and state" is dictated by
the contracts that formed Vmyths.

I negotiated with our investor for the two contracts that formed
Vmyths.  I blame myself, and only myself, for failing to reserve
"editorial integrity" rights over the sale.  I personally apologize to
our readers and our editorial staff for my failure.

The front page of Vmyths boasts "this site is NOT sponsored by
antivirus companies."  In fact, Vmyths has operated since 9/11/01 with
NO real source of income.  George C. Smith and I have done our jobs
for at least a year with no paychecks.  Our investor continues to
support Vmyths with hardware & bandwidth, and I believe they will
continue to support us.

Please don't underestimate our investor's support.  Vmyths takes up a
large chunk of their OC-3 bandwidth and they repel all sorts of
attacks aimed at their web servers.  I'm truly grateful to our
investor for doing so much for Vmyths despite our lack of income...

...and I'm truly UPSET with Symantec for failing to secure the
computer that stored hundreds of confidential business proposals.  It
appears Symantec took the data offline, yet they have so far refused
to accept responsibility for exposing it.  They refuse to apologize.

Reporter Brian McWilliams asked me some pointed questions about the
sale of Vmyths.  I will publish my verbatim answers in an upcoming
column.  (Memo to our investor: if you have a problem with this, you
can take it up with Symantec.)

Let me repeat -- our editorial staff CANNOT control the sale of
Vmyths. Again, I apologize.  On the other hand, our investor cannot
control what you read at Vmyths.  I encourage you to submit any
comments & criticism for publication.  Please visit
http://Vmyths.com/rant.cfm?id=470&page=4 for details.

Or write to VeaCulpa () Vmyths com if you want to give us your thoughts
in private.  Unlike Symantec, we'll keep it strictly confidential...

Rob Rosenberger, editor
http://Vmyths.com


PS: InfoSec News doesn't reprint Vmyths material for some reason.  
    Go figure.  I hope you'll drop by our site to read my answers to 
    the reporter's questions.



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