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Hashrocket execs (not Obie) charged in $425 million mail fraud case

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Re: Hashrocket execs (not Obie) charged in $425 million mail fraud case

#11

Post by sleight42 »

rubyrescue wrote: post #9
washed wrote: post #5

Mark Smith funded and funds Hashrocket. Hashrocket isn't profitable without Mark Smith. If Obie had no knowledge of this scam then I feel sorry for him and this situation. I guess "The Rails Maturity Model", the Hashrocket Way and BizConf includes taking scam money and pretending to be profitable.

that's totally inappropriate

I couldn't agree more.

Re: Hashrocket execs (not Obie) charged in $425 million mail fraud case

#12

Post by tjogin »

washed wrote: post #5

Mark Smith funded and funds Hashrocket. Hashrocket isn't profitable without Mark Smith. If Obie had no knowledge of this scam then I feel sorry for him and this situation. I guess "The Rails Maturity Model", the Hashrocket Way and BizConf includes taking scam money and pretending to be profitable.

How is it you know anything about Hashrocket's profitability?

Re: Hashrocket execs (not Obie) charged in $425 million mail fraud case

#13

Post by sleight42 »

jackowayed wrote: post #10
btmorex wrote: post #7

"Hashrocket (Rails) execs (not Obie)" Can someone explain this? What is Hashrocket? Who is Obie? I assume this is related to ruby on rails?

Hashrocket is a well-known Rails consulting company, and Obie Fernandez is a founder and is pretty well-known as well. http://hashrocket.com/

He's particularly known for writing The Rails Way published by Addison-Wesley (http://www.amazon.com/Rails-Way-Obie-Fernandez/dp/0321445619) which he did just prior to founding Hashrocket.

Re: Hashrocket execs (not Obie) charged in $425 million mail fraud case

#15

Post by petercooper »

This is an extreme demonstration of brand value and why some companies are so quick and determined to cut out trademark misuse.

Selling listings in a "directory" at $300 a pop isn't easy. Stick the phrase "Yellow Pages" and a YP logo on it, however, and you can clearly clear millions of dollars over several years.

Re: Hashrocket execs (not Obie) charged in $425 million mail fraud case

#16

Post by duckpunch »

washed wrote: post #5

Mark Smith funded and funds Hashrocket. Hashrocket isn't profitable without Mark Smith. If Obie had no knowledge of this scam then I feel sorry for him and this situation. I guess "The Rails Maturity Model", the Hashrocket Way and BizConf includes taking scam money and pretending to be profitable.

You're confusing Hashrocket, the web development company, with United Directories, the company being charged. The people being charged are essentially initial investors. Pointing a finger at Hashrocket in this scenario is not unlike blaming every startup that was invested in by an angel or VC that later ended up involved in fraudulent activity. None of this means that Hashrocket is not at all at fault, but based on the news that we all have, you're drawing unreasonable conclusions. If however you have other sources, please share them here, otherwise you're just trolling.

Re: Hashrocket execs (not Obie) charged in $425 million mail fraud case

#17

Post by bphogan »

washed wrote: post #5

Mark Smith funded and funds Hashrocket. Hashrocket isn't profitable without Mark Smith. If Obie had no knowledge of this scam then I feel sorry for him and this situation. I guess "The Rails Maturity Model", the Hashrocket Way and BizConf includes taking scam money and pretending to be profitable.

Why don't we all wait until after the holiday here, let the dust settle a bit, and see what happens before we start taking sides?

Re: Hashrocket execs (not Obie) charged in $425 million mail fraud case

#19

Post by oldgregg »

If the claim of HALF A BILLION dollar fraud is true it seems unlikely that Obie would not know something about it. If my buddies and business associates made that kind of money I sure as hell would know everything about it. HOWEVER, this does not diminish HashRocket or Obie's work-- the Rails Way is THE book that taught me Rails. Hashrocket has contributed so much to the ecosystem I sure hope that doesn't change.

edit: It seems quite plausable that HashRocket people actually helped developed the "fraud" site... If they can pull off a HALF A BILLION dollar scam just think that they can do for my company! The line between innovation and fraud is often very thin.

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