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SomerBlinks non-RMT RL earnings

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Money Makin Mitch
Paid in Full
#381 - 2013-10-29 22:32:25 UTC
TigerXtrm wrote:
Well, SOMER enjoyed a nice run for as long as it lasted. I just hope this little setback doesn't mean the end of what is otherwise a very fun service.

they could still operate without doing the GTC for bonus credit thing.
PotatoOverdose
School of Applied Knowledge
Caldari State
#382 - 2013-10-29 22:37:57 UTC
It was a pretty impressive racket while it lasted though. Hundreds of thousands of dollars. *whistles* Not bad for a "legitimate" business based out of a videogame.

That's one way to set records, at any rate.
Minmatar Citizen160812
The LGBT Last Supper
#383 - 2013-10-29 22:54:07 UTC
ngaly wrote:
I wonder if SOMERblink actually paid taxes for his profits. I would love to know his real identity to send the tax authorities of his country a nice mail.


I doubt that anyone tried to hide over 100k but the gaming licence thing? Yeah, that can cause trouble. I always just assumed any sites like this, EOH poker or the other lottery thing had them. Why? It's a gambling site using "credits" that have a re-sale value regardless of CCP's internal rules and PLEX is bought with real money. Maybe they do have them. If not and it's completely legit can someone start a website where you can bet isk on the horse races in Qatar?
Andski
Science and Trade Institute
Caldari State
#384 - 2013-10-29 23:03:48 UTC
ngaly wrote:
I wonder if SOMERblink actually paid taxes for his profits. I would love to know his real identity to send the tax authorities of his country a nice mail.


The US-based ETC vendors with affiliate programs have you fill out W-9 forms if you are in the US and making more than a certain amount in a year through their program. So yes, he has to pay taxes.

Twitter: @EVEAndski

"It's easy to speak for the silent majority. They rarely object to what you put into their mouths."    - Abrazzar
Annie Getyourgun
The Graduates
The Initiative.
#385 - 2013-10-29 23:06:29 UTC
Handsome Feller wrote:

Old Lady: I would like to cross the road.
Policeman: OK, go and cross the road.
Old Lady: It is OK for me to cross the road then?
Policeman: Oh yes.
Policeman: Tell you what, I'll even give you a hand.
Old Lady: Sweet!
Policeman: That's OK, I heard you help out other people too.
Old Lady: Yes, sometimes I do, but it often benefits me too (sinister cackle).
Policeman: OK, you can manage the rest of the way.
Old Lady: Thanks, almost there. See you around!
Policeman: STOP! OR I'LL SHOOT.
Old Lady: Errr OK, I've stopped. I've done as you aske....
Policeman: Sorry, got to kill you now.


I feel this is an apt analogy to reference, and that it truly has not been done justice in this thread yet.
I will make a slight alteration.

Old Lady: I would like to cross the road. (it is implied that crossing the road is not legal)
Policeman: OK, go and cross the road.
Old Lady: It is OK for me to cross the road then?
Policeman: Oh yes.
Policeman: Tell you what, I'll even give you a hand.
Old Lady: Sweet!
Policeman: That's OK, I heard you help out other people too.
Old Lady: Yes, sometimes I do, but it often benefits me too (sinister cackle). [Unbeknownst to the Policeman, the Old Lady is smuggling (drugs/counterfit currency/contraband of some sort) and this 'road' is the limiting point, giving her a unique advantage compared to anyone else that cannot use this road crossing to smuggle]
Policeman: OK, you can manage the rest of the way.
Old Lady: Thanks, almost there. See you around!
[Policeman gets information from dispatch that the Old Lady is on the top 10 most wanted list, for smuggling and other crimes, and should be considered armed and dangerous]
Policeman: STOP! OR I'LL SHOOT.
Old Lady: Errr OK, I've stopped. I've done as you aske.... [At this point in time, the Policeman could care less about crossing the road illegally with his permission, he is focused on the more serious crimes he was recently made aware of]
Policeman: Sorry, got to kill you now.

The former is a far stretch, and most people would not agree that the punishment fits the crime. This could be compared to CCP's position on data scraping; folks would be in uproar if they were suddenly banned for using market sites/etc after being told it was a 'grey' area, but ok until better infrastructure is in place.

The latter is the other extreme. I won't speculate further on the second scenario, as there are plenty of others in this thread happy to, but the truth lies somewhere in between.
Herr Kutz
Imperial Academy
Amarr Empire
#386 - 2013-10-29 23:59:14 UTC
Funny how despite being asked to share it, the recipient of the "cease and desist" order still hasn't provided a copy here...

...or is it just more "LOOK AT ME" BS like a large proportion of the "facts" that have been quoted in this thread?
Money Makin Mitch
Paid in Full
#387 - 2013-10-30 00:23:13 UTC
Herr Kutz wrote:
Funny how despite being asked to share it, the recipient of the "cease and desist" order still hasn't provided a copy here...

...or is it just more "LOOK AT ME" BS like a large proportion of the "facts" that have been quoted in this thread?

I did ask about the letter in Somer's channel and one of their employees said something along the lines of they haven't received any such letters, but he worded it in such a way that i'm not sure if he meant that they haven't received a letter but markee has, or there are no letters being issued in general. I guess we just have to wait and see.
Rosewalker
Khumaak Flying Circus
#388 - 2013-10-30 00:26:09 UTC
Herr Kutz wrote:
Funny how despite being asked to share it, the recipient of the "cease and desist" order still hasn't provided a copy here...

...or is it just more "LOOK AT ME" BS like a large proportion of the "facts" that have been quoted in this thread?


Part of the issue is that sharing communications with CCP violates the EULA. Whoever does that risks getting banned. Now that the battle is one, who wants to be the last man banned?

The Nosy Gamer - CCP Random: "hehe, falls under the category: nice try, but no. ;)"
Rosewalker
Khumaak Flying Circus
#389 - 2013-10-30 00:32:30 UTC
Money Makin Mitch wrote:
Herr Kutz wrote:
Funny how despite being asked to share it, the recipient of the "cease and desist" order still hasn't provided a copy here...

...or is it just more "LOOK AT ME" BS like a large proportion of the "facts" that have been quoted in this thread?

I did ask about the letter in Somer's channel and one of their employees said something along the lines of they haven't received any such letters, but he worded it in such a way that i'm not sure if he meant that they haven't received a letter but markee has, or there are no letters being issued in general. I guess we just have to wait and see.


The letters went out to all of the GTC resellers authorized by CCP. The GTC resellers have 10 days to make sure any player affiliates comply with the EULA. SOMERblink's payout for people purchasing GTCs violates the EULA, at least according to the letter.

Oh, and I do trust my source for this information.

The Nosy Gamer - CCP Random: "hehe, falls under the category: nice try, but no. ;)"
Diomedes Calypso
Aetolian Armada
#390 - 2013-10-30 00:37:39 UTC  |  Edited by: Diomedes Calypso
Bizzaro Stormy MurphDog wrote:
RAW23 wrote:
People here not quite understanding the point of an analogy. this one captures the salient details perfectly well. Pointing out places where it differs does not help. Analogous things are by definition different from the things they are analogous to. The point of this analogy is to illuminate one particular aspect of the case - that someone in a position of authority authorized certain behaviour and that it looks pretty odd when the same authority is now being called on to punish the behaviour they (may have) authorised.


THANK. YOU.

I don't know if the internet makes people ********, or if it just opens the door for more retards to discuss opinions, but my god its rare for someone to understand what an analogy is . . .and what it is not.


QFT .. makes me Mistakenly use words like "incremental"out of frustration when it's wordy and uncalled for !
(private forum joke, and admitted error on my part) .

I should give-up on trying to get people to use good faith and say they understand and agree with individual points that would temper their indignity.

But, I've got to give credit to other's who try !

.
RAW23
#391 - 2013-10-30 00:48:39 UTC
Herr Kutz wrote:
Funny how despite being asked to share it, the recipient of the "cease and desist" order still hasn't provided a copy here...

...or is it just more "LOOK AT ME" BS like a large proportion of the "facts" that have been quoted in this thread?


Another gambling website has also confirmed that they received such a letter:

https://forums.eveonline.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=3802585#post3802585

There are two types of EVE player:

those who believe there are two types of EVE player and those who do not.
Ghost Phius
Tribal Liberation Force
Minmatar Republic
#392 - 2013-10-30 01:13:14 UTC
Fair is fair and maybe now finally after ALL of the other incidents of CCP cheating and handing things out to pets will end....

Not so fast my friends...... I have no illusion that CCP is going to stop their scumbaggery regarding RMT...No they will just find another way just like they did this time around.

Well...cya later until the NEXT scandal that is...
Mr Epeen
It's All About Me
#393 - 2013-10-30 01:21:17 UTC
Ghost Phius wrote:
Fair is fair and maybe now finally after ALL of the other incidents of CCP cheating and handing things out to pets will end....

Not so fast my friends...... I have no illusion that CCP is going to stop their scumbaggery regarding RMT...No they will just find another way just like they did this time around.

Well...cya later until the NEXT scandal that is...


You know that the only solution is to remove PLEX and lock GTCs to game time only and make them acct bound and untradable.

I'm fine with that but I suspect a good 80% of the player base will have a conniption if that happens. But if that's what you really want then keep on crying and you'll get your way. If not, then STFU about Somerblink FFS!

Mr Epeen Cool
Evangelina Nolen
Sama Guild
#394 - 2013-10-30 01:35:30 UTC
Quite a few of you need to gro a pair {testes or ovaries}. The real world is all about who you know & what you can do for me.
Ace Boogi
Republic University
Minmatar Republic
#395 - 2013-10-30 01:36:36 UTC
Evangelina Nolen wrote:
Quite a few of you need to gro a pair {testes or ovaries}. The real world is all about who you know & what you can do for me.

good thing we're in a game with a level playing field (supposedly)
Ghost Phius
Tribal Liberation Force
Minmatar Republic
#396 - 2013-10-30 01:50:45 UTC
Mr Epeen wrote:
You know that the only solution is to remove PLEX and lock GTCs to game time only and make them acct bound and untradable.

I'm fine with that but I suspect a good 80% of the player base will have a conniption if that happens. But if that's what you really want then keep on crying and you'll get your way. If not, then STFU about Somerblink FFS!

Mr Epeen Cool



No I think the solution is contained within the 10 day letter sent from CCP to ALL of the players involved in RMT.

What I want has nothing to do with this, what it did have to do with was fairness which CCP was finally forced to recognize on some levels.

I have nothing against any of the players involved, but the asshatery and favoritism displayed by CCP concerning this issue had to be dealt with by the playerbase.

Telling people to STFU under these conditions qualifies you for one of those asshats...size please?
Leigh Akiga
Kuhri Innovations
#397 - 2013-10-30 02:01:38 UTC
Previously the perception of Somer or En24 or TMC or any other site with a PLEX button was that: "Lololo they make like $1"

But the extent to which Somer went to drive out any competition by giving ingame incentives (bribes if you will) to use their button and then to be gifted all kinds of swag by CCP to further incetivize that button- along with the reveal that: No, its not $1 its more like 100k is gonna be difficult to smooth over by any kind of legalese, or EULA-ese in this case..
Cipher Jones
The Thomas Edwards Taco Tuesday All Stars
#398 - 2013-10-30 02:24:32 UTC
TigerXtrm wrote:
Cipher Jones wrote:
TigerXtrm wrote:
How is it still in doubt wether or not it's actually legal? CCP supported SOMER on two different occasions. I think it's pretty safe to say that CCP has okay'ed SOMER and their business plan.


They made 135K off of them at 5-8%. so CCP got at least 2 mil out of the deal. OF COURSE they are going to support it. So what if they have to alter the rules to allow it and retroactively ignore the violation?



What violation?


EULA wrote:
Accounts may not be used for business purposes. Access to the System and playing EVE is intended for your personal entertainment, enjoyment and recreation, and not for corporate, business, commercial or income-seeking activities.


internet spaceships

are serious business sir.

and don't forget it
Argus Sorn
Star Frontiers
Brotherhood of Spacers
#399 - 2013-10-30 04:42:43 UTC
Andski wrote:
ngaly wrote:
I wonder if SOMERblink actually paid taxes for his profits. I would love to know his real identity to send the tax authorities of his country a nice mail.


The US-based ETC vendors with affiliate programs have you fill out W-9 forms if you are in the US and making more than a certain amount in a year through their program. So yes, he has to pay taxes.


His profits would be reported.

Marcus Eikenberry sure isn't going to pay taxes on money he pays to Somerset Mahm. No matter what you may think of him - he is not stupid.
Katarina Reid
Deep Core Mining Inc.
Caldari State
#400 - 2013-10-30 04:51:43 UTC
Herr Kutz wrote:
Funny how despite being asked to share it, the recipient of the "cease and desist" order still hasn't provided a copy here...

...or is it just more "LOOK AT ME" BS like a large proportion of the "facts" that have been quoted in this thread?


I tried to get accross the point of the letter but GM's have told me not to post it.
http://community.eveonline.com/support/policies/eve-tos/
18: You may not publish private communications from CCP, their agents or representatives or EVE Online volunteers without authorization.