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Posted by fantomaZ on 08-27-2010 at18:44:

  illegal downloads

hi,

as you may have already noticed I had to close down the website due to illegal downloads. two users downloaded more than 4 times the amount of data they had legally access to. to one e-comic I got about 30 times more hits than I sold. I don't really care if this happened on purpose or not. main reason for closing the site was that it costs a lot of money if more downloads take place than included in my contract with the webspace provider. I believe I found out about that security breech just in time. but we'll see at the end of the month if my guess is right as I will not start counting the downloaded bytes.

right now I am implementing a professional web-shop with secure file download. but this might take some time. not sure when the website will be open again. meanwhile I opened the member section for existing members again so that you can visit the areas you bought access to. but I will not accept new members at the time. and base membership for all customers will not be continued as web-shop and member section will be strictly seperated in the future out of security reasons. instead I will create a new member area (area X) for all members where for example I will inform you about ongoing projects with exclusive preview-pics.

greetz fantomaZ

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Posted by TeeHeeLawrence on 08-28-2010 at22:27:

  A real down(load)er...

I'm very sorry that you're battling unscrupulous sorts, who've stolen
your hard work. Yes, this IS a commercial site, but one doesn't have
to spend much time with your and Mandrake's work to realize it's about the passion as well as the pay. There's too much lovingly-detailed craft in both the art and the writing for it simply to be business.
When one works hard--however motivated, one wants SOME return. Positive feedback is nice; payment for the site and the work is better. Folks who disregard that and, furthermore, add injury to insult by stealing your work deserve your scorn--and your righteous pursuit.

BTW, tho it was short-lived, thanks for the summer sale. It allowed this penny-pinching fan to take the plunge on the full HOTEL COOCHIE COO. Here's hoping that this nasty business doesn't sour you on continuing your distinctive comics. I, for one, would miss them.

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Posted by fantomaZ on 08-28-2010 at23:21:

 

thank you for your anticipation

this is always motivating. don't worry: I might evenl be able to reopen the site soon enough to continue the summer sale. in the meantime I found a very nice solution for secure download. right now working on the graphical style. technically everything is clear. but of course I will have to do some testing before going online again.

and I was hoping you would grab the chance to get the full epic e-comic during summer sale because I am sure that you esteem the depth of the whole story.

greetz fantomaZ