tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post9123195406627050918..comments2023-05-26T06:11:32.356-07:00Comments on Kevin Carmony's Blog: Why Won't Linspire, Inc. hold a Shareholders Meeting?Kevin Carmonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18184610794401604177noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-66271312492969034432008-07-01T08:18:00.000-07:002008-07-01T08:18:00.000-07:00Just a small comment from a person who has no rela...Just a small comment from a person who has no relationship with either Kevin or Michael, nor with Linspire.<BR/><BR/>A lot of people seem to be openly attacking Kevin here, or openly attacking Michael. Yet, they all hide behind the name of "anonymous". Have the decency to log in and sign yourself, unless you really have something to hide. And if everyone has something to hide ... well ...Ivan Vučicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09801850158138970240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-15300904314538393672008-04-17T07:37:00.000-07:002008-04-17T07:37:00.000-07:00wnpaul As the manager of independent musicians, I ...<B>wnpaul</B> As the manager of independent musicians, I too am concerned with some of the practices of Michael Robertson in this regard. I'd be curious to speak with you about this. If you read this, shoot me an email at kevinshomepage at airpost dot net.<BR/><BR/>Thanks,<BR/><BR/>KevinKevin Carmonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184610794401604177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-11222783456466539282008-04-17T04:01:00.000-07:002008-04-17T04:01:00.000-07:00I was going to hold back commenting on this blog b...I was going to hold back commenting on this blog but I have just been hit in a major way by an "unadvertised" feature of another Michael Robertson product.<BR/>I subscribe to the MP3TUNES Music Locker service, and there are only two ways to get music into a locker (which is supposed to be a PRIVATE space to store your music collection in order to be able to access it from multiple locations). One is with their LockerSync program, and the other is with the Oboe Sideload extension to Firefox.<BR/><BR/>Because LockerSync wasn't working on my PC, I uploaded the tracks from a friend's new album to my private webspace, and "sideloaded" them from there to my locker a week ago. Then I deleted them from my webspace again.<BR/><BR/>To my horrified surprise I discovered today that they had not only been "sideloaded" to my locker, but also to the public site www.sideload.com, where they are available for public download.<BR/><BR/>I think this shows how much respect Mr Robertson has for the law and for the private property of his customers, and is fully in line with other comments about him here.wnpaulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18231515296470375310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-52409456254002670942008-04-11T20:10:00.000-07:002008-04-11T20:10:00.000-07:00Kendall,I searched and can only see your name ment...Kendall,<BR/><BR/>I searched and can only see your name mentioned two times in my entire blogs over the many months. I appreciate you setting the record straight, but it's not like you were the central topic.<BR/><BR/>KevinKevin Carmonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184610794401604177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-78567170213095740682008-04-10T21:54:00.000-07:002008-04-10T21:54:00.000-07:00I am Kendall. I heard that my name was getting thr...I am Kendall. I heard that my name was getting thrown around a lot over here so I decided to come and see for myself. This is the first post that I've made on this blog.... EVER. <BR/><BR/>My IP address is 71.136.38.112 and if you look that up you'll find that it maps to my house in El Cajon, California using AT&T Internet Services. <BR/><BR/>If you want to try to "prove" it's me.... the Linspire forum contains over 18,000 samples of my writing that you can use for comparison. Go look it up.<BR/><BR/>As I've told Kevin before: leave me out of this. I don't know. I don't want to know. And I don't care. All of you need to stop mentioning me. This has nothing to do with me.<BR/><BR/>My name keeps getting tossed around. It's not me posting. Never was. All of you need to get a life. If I have something to say I'll sign my name to it.<BR/><BR/>KendallAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-36980800489766136082008-04-10T17:48:00.000-07:002008-04-10T17:48:00.000-07:00So you're saying "you" made every post in this thr...So you're saying "you" made every post in this thread with a "contrasting point of view?" If so, then it would appear you're alone if you views. <BR/><BR/>If you've never met Michael, then I'd suggest your input has a lot less credibility than the posts made here by those who have met him.<BR/><BR/>KevinKevin Carmonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184610794401604177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-74788801163531594042008-04-10T17:30:00.000-07:002008-04-10T17:30:00.000-07:00I suspect some of the post are from current employ...<I>I suspect some of the post are from current employees of Michael Robertson, choosing to look the other way to continue feeling good about collecting that paycheck.</I><BR/><BR/>Again, I am not Kendall, I am not employed by MR in any capacity. I have never met him. <BR/><BR/>Your paranoia is showing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-26118110162971601812008-04-10T16:26:00.000-07:002008-04-10T16:26:00.000-07:00Thanks Jay. I really appreciate your support.I su...Thanks Jay. I really appreciate your support.<BR/><BR/>I suspect some of the post are from current employees of Michael Robertson, choosing to look the other way to continue feeling good about collecting that paycheck. <BR/><BR/>As for the Mac, yes, you really should give it a try when you can justify it. In many ways, it's just a really great Linux distribution. It has all the things you like about Linux, and dislike about Windows, but with an additional layer of work to make it a spectacular desktop environment.<BR/><BR/>Thanks again!<BR/><BR/>KevinKevin Carmonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184610794401604177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-10062678666646025652008-04-10T10:16:00.000-07:002008-04-10T10:16:00.000-07:00Kevin, I fully support your decision to step down ...Kevin, I fully support your decision to step down as Linspire CEO. I thought you did a remarkable job - and 350K/annually was beneath you. You were and are worth so much more. A true model of success in my book.<BR/><BR/>As for Linspire, I hate to see what has become of her. It is a sad shame. I had so much hope for her success. But..<BR/><BR/>Reading through the numerous posts and hearing the TRUTH about Michael Robertson and the actions being taken against former employees... I am appalled. I am a believer in the Law of Attraction... and Michael Robertson will get his in the end. What you give out returns to you. <BR/><BR/>Kevin, I have been following your blog for some time now. I admire your style. You are a hero - one to be admired. It is a good thing that you left Linspire before it muddied your record. It is evident that while you were there, Linspire was as close to success as it will ever be. Now it is going the way of the dodobird. I believe in a former post you mentioned how you felt Linspire would be gone within a year. From the sound of it, that is a good thing. I want nothing to do with the company. Ever.<BR/><BR/>I will be forever thankful to Linspire for introducing me to Linux. But it is time to move on. I now use Dreamlinux for which I recently wrote a review to be published in Linux Magazine. It is a great distribution - easy to use for the novice. Comes with all the codecs/drivers a person needs. I can even run Dreamweaver and Fireworks 8 through Wine Doors. But, as good as Dreamlinux is... it still isn't perfect. No operating system is.<BR/><BR/>I investigated getting a Mac from your last post where you showed a very informative demo of your Macbook Pro. Great video! May do this later this year. Mac will do everything that I need - Linux can't. <BR/><BR/>Anyway... thanks Kevin for your time as Linspire CEO. And thank you for revealing the truth to us. Those "anonymous" posters... get off Kevin's back. You weren't there...<BR/><BR/>It's like people telling me, a Gulf War Marine, what should be done or what should have been done about the Gulf War. If you weren't there... shut up.<BR/><BR/>Enough said.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-87152056970269542292008-04-10T07:52:00.000-07:002008-04-10T07:52:00.000-07:00That will depend when I get some free time to writ...That will depend when I get some free time to write it up in an appropriate manner. It's a long story, and I want to make sure and include all the appropriate evidence (emails, documents, etc.). Hopefully within the next couple of weeks.<BR/><BR/>KevinKevin Carmonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184610794401604177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-87422081474574377272008-04-10T06:28:00.000-07:002008-04-10T06:28:00.000-07:00This quote has inspired me to go public with ALL o...<I>This quote has inspired me to go public with ALL of the story. Look for that in the very near future.</I><BR/><BR/>Define "very near".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-19963408844612789992008-04-09T17:02:00.000-07:002008-04-09T17:02:00.000-07:00Thank you.Indeed, this blog, and the responses fro...Thank you.<BR/><BR/>Indeed, this blog, and the responses from current employees of Michael Robertson, have in fact brought to light just a very small part of the real story. <BR/><BR/>I really liked the quote from Ron Paul someone shared in an earlier post. "Truth is treason in the empire of lies." This quote has inspired me to go public with ALL of the story. Look for that in the very near future. <BR/><BR/>At some point your name gets slandered enough, you have no choice but to defend yourself and share your side of the story. My "side" will be facts of record, emails, documents, etc. Then each can judge from themselves about the reputation of all involved.<BR/><BR/>KevinKevin Carmonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184610794401604177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-60027356637104674832008-04-09T14:34:00.000-07:002008-04-09T14:34:00.000-07:00Kevin, it appears from what you say and from other...Kevin, it appears from what you say and from others comments that there has been much going on unknown to former Insiders and community.<BR/><BR/>"former linspire Employees" comments in particular are incredible to those of us who do not know the internal politics of Linspire nor the employees and exec board members personally.<BR/><BR/>It is regretable what has happened to Linspire, it had such great promise and was fondly held and supported by many of us who have since moved on and left the ship to sink.<BR/><BR/>Some of what you say goes some way to explaining the actions and direction taken with linspire, which led to a lot of people/insiders feeling betrayed. <BR/><BR/>As shareholders, the board of Linspire is answerable to you, I hope you get the answers, and thanks for "going public" with this information. It certainly opens a new perspective on a sore subject.<BR/><BR/>I cant wait for the next revelation! Even more so Id be fascinated to read MR & LK's responses to this blog! <BR/><BR/>All the best<BR/><BR/>Former linspire Supporter and InsiderAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-61448860769199448562008-04-09T08:49:00.000-07:002008-04-09T08:49:00.000-07:00I know Michael Robertson well. I'm not a bit surpr...I know Michael Robertson well. I'm not a bit surprised at how he's behaving.<BR/><BR/>What is surprising, however, is how people can defend his actions. But, as Ron Paul said, "Truth is treason in the empire of lies."<BR/><BR/>Best of luck KevinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-35880771524174503722008-04-08T22:29:00.000-07:002008-04-08T22:29:00.000-07:00Wow!This has been very telling. Linspire's seemin...Wow!<BR/><BR/>This has been very telling. Linspire's seeming demise now makes a lot more sense. <BR/><BR/>InsiderAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-83847297945101790392008-04-08T21:27:00.000-07:002008-04-08T21:27:00.000-07:00Carmony did a lot of layoffs while I was there, wh...Carmony did a lot of layoffs while I was there, which I agreed with fully. Linspire lost MILLIONS by overspending. When Carmony became CEO, he brought the spending down.<BR/><BR/>The reason I was laid off, was his plan was to focus on CNR, not the OS, and trim even further. I agreed with the plan fully, as did Michael Robertson and all the execs. It was the RIGHT thing to do to insure the future success of the company. <BR/><BR/>Did I mention that Robertson and Kettler disgust me?<BR/><BR/>Former Linspire EmployeeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-77625977082898934262008-04-08T21:17:00.000-07:002008-04-08T21:17:00.000-07:00I was laid off from Linspire just before Kevin Car...<I>I was laid off from Linspire just before Kevin Carmony resigned. When he let me go, he gave me a severance package, commensurate with my title and tenure.</I><BR/><BR/>If Carmony left the company with <I>"profits, lots of money in the bank, a plan and strategy for the future"</I>, why did he let you go? Why would a Carmony led successful business need to lay anyone off?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-64234051091332619232008-04-08T21:08:00.000-07:002008-04-08T21:08:00.000-07:00I was laid off from Linspire just before Kevin Car...I was laid off from Linspire just before Kevin Carmony resigned. When he let me go, he gave me a severance package, commensurate with my title and tenure. <BR/><BR/>Soon after Carmony resigned, Michael Robertson and Larry Kettler came after me, threatening me and my family if I didn't give back the severance pay, attacking me and my good name, and even stooping so low as to accuse me, and many other honest Linspire employees of embezzlement. I had never witness such greed and corrupt actions in all my life. Linspire has continued to make my life hell ever since. <BR/><BR/>Kevin, who has no stake in this at all, since he resigned without taking any severance pay, is the one person who has stood up for me and the others. <BR/><BR/>Michael and Larry disgust me.<BR/><BR/>Former Linspire EmployeeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-56289645569690034772008-04-08T20:53:00.000-07:002008-04-08T20:53:00.000-07:00Correct. Pretty much all those shareholders paid ...Correct. Pretty much all those shareholders paid cash to buy their shares, some of them thousands of dollars. But, Robertson doesn't seem to get the fact that thousands to most people is a lot of money. He also has little respect, it would seem, for the time employees put into a company. He clearly discounts the value of shares "earned" vs those "purchased." This would explain his disdain for employees and how he treats them.<BR/><BR/>When I left, I proposed a plan that would allow Shareholders to sell some of their shares back to the company for $.50 a share. Michael, as the largest shareholder, voted down that idea, saying that he could make everyone's shares worth more than $.50 by keeping all the funds in the company. I think it's only fair to all of the shareholders to ask him how he plans on doing that. From the outside, it would seem those shares aren't worth much at all, so we're all curious what his brilliant plan is to one day have those shares worth so much.<BR/><BR/>KevinKevin Carmonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184610794401604177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-24397265975614505362008-04-08T20:46:00.000-07:002008-04-08T20:46:00.000-07:00Linspire only has a few employees left, under 15 I...Linspire only has a few employees left, under 15 I've heard. I've also heard they're actually moving offices since they've shrunk so much. If they have 100 shareholders, and maybe only 10 or so employees today who might hold shares, sounds to me like most of those shareholders must NOT be employees. If they were past employees, they would have had to buy their stock options and put out cash for those.<BR/><BR/>Yes, kind of a poor way to treat the 90 or so paying shareholders.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-20458258714891974992008-04-08T20:41:00.000-07:002008-04-08T20:41:00.000-07:00Looks to me like Carmony cared more about the spir...Looks to me like Carmony cared more about the spirit of the law, so he kept shareholders informed and made them feel a part of things. Looks like Robertson is about the letter of the law. I know I wouldn't be very happy if I paid money to exercise stock options, and I asked how the company was doing, and was quoted that legal-mumbo-jumbo paragraph! eegaadAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-77924512400915332062008-04-08T20:36:00.000-07:002008-04-08T20:36:00.000-07:00That exception thinging still doesn't explain why ...That exception thinging still doesn't explain why they ignore requests from shareholders. Linspire has lost it. What a shame.<BR/><BR/>JPAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-88278765018179547382008-04-08T20:35:00.000-07:002008-04-08T20:35:00.000-07:00Ah, "exclusion," Robertson's favorite word.My poin...<I>Ah, "exclusion," Robertson's favorite word.<BR/><BR/>My point wasn't a legal one </I><BR/><BR/>I was responding to the previous comment that Linspire had a legal obligation to hold the meeting. Please note I quoted him. It was not an invitation for yet another Carmony tirade about MR.<BR/><BR/><I>As I said, unless it's spam, EVERY comment gets posted on my blog. It's how I get to rebut a point, rather than bury it (ala michaelrobertson.com).</I><BR/><BR/>Must be a new policy for you (not that changing policies at the drop of a hat is a new thing for you. It's more your regular M.O.) <BR/>Not one of my comments (it was more than one) for your Feb 16 blog (Linspire's CNR.com - Bye Bye Linux, Hello Microsoft Windows!) actually appeared on the comments page.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-35894249794276338512008-04-08T20:34:00.000-07:002008-04-08T20:34:00.000-07:00Fair enough. Not a mistake I would make twice. I...Fair enough. Not a mistake I would make twice. <BR/><BR/>I actually did quick a few years back, until Michael agreed to let me be CEO and stay out of things, which he did, for the most part. <BR/><BR/>Towards the end, however, he started to make crazy recommendations to me, which as CEO, fortunately, I didn't have to follow. But, rather than deal with even listening to his ideas anymore, I was thrilled to just leave. Unfortunately, his ego got bruised (he's not use to having a CEO authorized to make decisions he doesn't like) so he started to wage war against a lot of really good, honest people. Fortunately, he's lost at every turn, and truth has prevailed. <BR/><BR/>KevinKevin Carmonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18184610794401604177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5229364574561265729.post-82420236888670164692008-04-08T20:28:00.000-07:002008-04-08T20:28:00.000-07:00As an early employee at MP3.com, I watched my net ...As an early employee at MP3.com, I watched my net worth drop from millions to thousands because of Michael Robertson. No one liked him there either. Sorry Carmony, you got what you deserved when you signed up with him. You have no one to blame but yourself. Anyone who spends any time around him sees what he's like, so you had to know he was a bastard early on, and yet you stuck around.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com