Behind the Scenes of a failed dot com

Vengeance · Jul 13, 2002

I came across this story on <a href="http://www.slashdot.org">Slashdot</a> a few days ago, and I was blown away. I happened upon it again, so I thought I'd share.

<a href="http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2002/07/01/spyware_inc/index.html">The story is of "Website Results"</a>, an internet marketing firm that would get people more website hits and stuff. Well, that's what they said they'd do.

Truly incredible story. Here's a quote that captures these losers pretty well.

The men who ran Website Results, an Internet marketing company, had a unique test for gauging the moral fiber of their employees. According to former colleagues, Ronald J. Penna, Michael K. Osborn and Kevin Smith used to pose this question: Imagine there's a peasant somewhere halfway across the world. If you could push a button and kill the person without getting caught, would you do it for a million dollars?

"For them, it was yes, in a heartbeat. They just wanted to know whether we felt the same way. Who even thinks that way?" said Steve Simkovitch, a salesman who worked for Website Results for most of 1999.
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Nomar · Jul 13, 2002

Okay. I have two things to say.

First of all... If somebody would really offer that deal to me, I think I would take it.

Second of all... Why would you sit around and come up with that sort of hypothetical.

JohnnyBlaze · Jul 13, 2002

Originally posted by Nomar
Okay. I have two things to say.

First of all... If somebody would really offer that deal to me, I think I would take it.

Second of all... Why would you sit around and come up with that sort of hypothetical.
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Would you stop to think that this man might have a wife, kids etc

How about a thousand dollars, what would you do for that?

Rocket River · Jul 13, 2002

wasn't this a Twilight zone episode.

Rocket River

Vengeance · Jul 13, 2002

Right on Rocket River! I was just about to post that -- this is the summary of the episode by a poster on <a href="http://www.slashdot.org">/.</a>

This is based off of memory, but I feel that I can sum up this story pretty well. A couple in financial straits is deciding what to do to pay the bills, when there is a knock at the door. In the doorway is a man with a box. On top of the box is a button. The man states that for a million dollars all they need do is press the button. The only hitch is that someone they don't know will die.

The man leaves them with the box stating he'll be back when they decide what to do. The couple struggle with the decision. They examine the box and see no wires, just a button. The money would solve all their problems, but can they take a chance that someone would die if they press the button. After spending several days thinking about it, the couple finally presses the button, the rationale being that since they really don't know the person and they can't be sure they will die it's okay.

Immediately, there's a knock at the door. The mysterious man is back with a briefcase of money. Inside, true to his word is a million dollars. As he takes the box back, the distressed couple asks if a person really died. Yes, he replied, but you have your million dollars.

But what about the box? What is to become of it? "Oh, don't worry. I'm just going to give it to someone you don't know," he remarks and leaves.
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mr_oily · Jul 13, 2002

If that peasant were a Jazz fan, the truth of the matter is I'd have no choice.

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Behind the Scenes of a failed dot com

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