So I got an interview with Sonny Vleisides from BFL...

[enmaku]

After all the mud-slinging that's been going around, I thought it would be good to have a chat with the elusive Sonny Vleisides so I spent a bit trying to get in touch with him and much to my surprise he responded and gave me an excellent interview.

http://codinginmysleep.com/interview-with-sonny-vleisides/

[nedbert9]

After all the mud-slinging that's been going around, I thought it would be good to have a chat with the elusive Sonny Vleisides so I spent a bit trying to get in touch with him and much to my surprise he responded and gave me an excellent interview.

http://codinginmysleep.com/interview-with-sonny-vleisides/

Thanks for the interview.

Two thoughts.


Taken at face value the information regarding the corporate structure of BFL does offer some reassurance that BFL's corporate account balance would not just simply disappear.

Attempting to establish risk of doing business based on -any type- of convictions of high level exec's or co-founders is not a solid argument.
Comparing Bill Gate's conviction of driving without a license with the large mail fraud operation, where Sonny was a major operator, and suggesting that there should be some similarity in the reactions to each is not a solid argument.  Attempting to equate a minor misdemeanor with multiple counts of Federal fraud charges is both qualitatively and quantitatively way, way out in left field - maybe somewhere around Alpha Centauri.

[enmaku]

Comparing Bill Gate's conviction of driving without a license with the large mail fraud operation, where Sonny was a major operator, and suggesting that there should be some similarity in the reactions to each is not a solid argument.  Attempting to equate a minor misdemeanor with multiple counts of Federal fraud charges is both qualitatively and quantitatively way, way out in left field - maybe somewhere around Alpha Centauri.

Valid point. I should probably find a better example for comparison there.

[repentance]

Comparing Bill Gate's conviction of driving without a license with the large mail fraud operation, where Sonny was a major operator, and suggesting that there should be some similarity in the reactions to each is not a solid argument.  Attempting to equate a minor misdemeanor with multiple counts of Federal fraud charges is both qualitatively and quantitatively way, way out in left field - maybe somewhere around Alpha Centauri.

Valid point. I should probably find a better example for comparison there.

It also does no-one's credibility any good to dismiss a very long-term, aggressively marketed fraud as "a youthful indiscretion".  You regain trust by owning up to what you did, not by trying to minimise it (it sure as hell wasn't "jurisdictional arbitrage" which got Sonny into trouble).

That said, the information is now out there and people need to make up their own minds.  There's no point in those who choose not to deal with BFL mounting a crusade to try to convince others to boycott BFL.

[Syke]

BFL in its entirety is being dragged through the mud because of the checkered past of one employee.

The hiding of the fraud conviction of a primary company officer is just the next item in a long list of questionable activities.

We've all seen the mug shot of Bill Gates, yet no one feared that he was going to tank Microsoft and run away with the cash - not because we trust old Billy that much, but because he's operating within a system that was explicitly designed to prevent him from doing so. BFL operates within exactly the same sort of system.

No comparison. Microsoft is a public company, and as such is under far stricter rules than a private company. For example, the entire list of Microsoft board of directors is:

Steve  Ballmer
Dina  Dublon
Bill  Gates
Raymond V.  Gilmartin
Reed  Hastings
Maria M.  Klawe
Stephen J.  Luczo
David F.  Marquardt
Charles H.  Noski
Dr. Helmut  Panke
John W.  Thompson

a big structured organization of 22 people with a board of directors

And what are the names of the individuals on the board?

[enmaku]

Comparing Bill Gate's conviction of driving without a license with the large mail fraud operation, where Sonny was a major operator, and suggesting that there should be some similarity in the reactions to each is not a solid argument.  Attempting to equate a minor misdemeanor with multiple counts of Federal fraud charges is both qualitatively and quantitatively way, way out in left field - maybe somewhere around Alpha Centauri.

Valid point. I should probably find a better example for comparison there.

It also does no-one's credibility any good to dismiss a very long-term, aggressively marketed fraud as "a youthful indiscretion".  You regain trust by owning up to what you did, not by trying to minimise it (it sure as hell wasn't "jurisdictional arbitrage" which got Sonny into trouble).

That said, the information is now out there and people need to make up their own minds.  There's no point in those who choose not to deal with BFL mounting a crusade to try to convince others to boycott BFL.

I feel the need to ensure it's clear that "youthful indiscretion" were my words, not Sonny's. Poorly chosen? Perhaps.

It's an issue that a lot of folks have become very emotional about and I thought it deserved the closest thing to fair and unbiased reporting I could give it. You know my conclusion and you're free to draw your own.

[enmaku]

BFL in its entirety is being dragged through the mud because of the checkered past of one employee.

The hiding of the fraud conviction of a primary company officer is just the next item in a long list of questionable activities.

We've all seen the mug shot of Bill Gates, yet no one feared that he was going to tank Microsoft and run away with the cash - not because we trust old Billy that much, but because he's operating within a system that was explicitly designed to prevent him from doing so. BFL operates within exactly the same sort of system.

No comparison. Microsoft is a public company, and as such is under far stricter rules than a private company. For example, the entire list of Microsoft board of directors is:

Steve  Ballmer
Dina  Dublon
Bill  Gates
Raymond V.  Gilmartin
Reed  Hastings
Maria M.  Klawe
Stephen J.  Luczo
David F.  Marquardt
Charles H.  Noski
Dr. Helmut  Panke
John W.  Thompson

a big structured organization of 22 people with a board of directors

And what are the names of the individuals on the board?

While being publicly traded certainly does add new stringent criteria on how you run the show, I was more speaking to anyone's ability to take the money and run. Incorporation still requires such measures in most states and whether it was required of them or not, they have indeed taken those measures.

I don't know the names of the board but I'm sure some BFL employee out there does and would have no problem giving up that list. It's not really my question to answer.

[MPOE-PR]

Where's the interview? All I see is the journal of a giddy schoolgirl.

[yochdog]

Where's the interview? All I see is the journal of a giddy schoolgirl.

I lol'd

I love how he cannot share any details with us.....but trust him.....everything is good. 

I am not crying scammer, it's just that this "interview" provides approximately zero new information. 

[enmaku]

Where's the interview? All I see is the journal of a giddy schoolgirl.

I lol'd

I love how he cannot share any details with us.....but trust him.....everything is good. 

I am not crying scammer, it's just that this "interview" provides approximately zero new information. 

How's this for new information? http://codinginmysleep.com/first-look-at-bfls-asic-hardware/

Sonny felt bad about the crap I've been taking so I got the go-ahead to post a little something

[Garrett Burgwardt]

Notably, the rendering of the board has some chips hanging off the board. While theoretically it's possible to have at least the uppermost one hang off, it is still bad board design.

Rebuttal?

[AndrewBUD]

It's a drawing,

[MPOE-PR]

Where's the interview? All I see is the journal of a giddy schoolgirl.

I lol'd

I love how he cannot share any details with us.....but trust him.....everything is good. 

I am not crying scammer, it's just that this "interview" provides approximately zero new information. 

How's this for new information? http://codinginmysleep.com/first-look-at-bfls-asic-hardware/

Sonny felt bad about the crap I've been taking so I got the go-ahead to post a little something

Actually, this is a lot better.

[Bitinvestor]

That's great news! Should have ordered some SC singles, LOL.

[greyhawk]

Notably, the rendering of the board has some chips hanging off the board. While theoretically it's possible to have at least the uppermost one hang off, it is still bad board design.

Rebuttal?

I like the part where they have bore holes in the back view (light green upper middle) that are not in the front view.

[elux]

How's this for new information? http://codinginmysleep.com/first-look-at-bfls-asic-hardware/

Good. Hugely more informative than your first BFL post. Any actual electrical engineers available for comment?  

[Phinnaeus Gage]

I've been accused of actually being Sonny Vleisides, which makes that 3 hour Skype call I had with him seem like the most awkward descent into madness ever.

Assuming that the three hour called took place this morning as Josh stated on my thread, I'm really taken aback at all the posting he was able to do doing that time frame (this morning) according to his post logs on this forum. https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=112832.msg1221072#msg1221072

Also, why does the surrounding area of the other two pics need to be grayed out? Surely snapping a pic of the board(s) sitting on a table--any table--is a hell of lot easier. I understand the graying out of the info on the components, but come on.

~Bruno~

[enmaku]

I've been accused of actually being Sonny Vleisides, which makes that 3 hour Skype call I had with him seem like the most awkward descent into madness ever.

Assuming that the three hour called took place this morning as Josh stated on my thread, I'm really taken aback at all the posting he was able to do doing that time frame (this morning) according to his post logs on this forum. https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=112832.msg1221072#msg1221072

Actually I believe it was an afternoon or evening interview. I'm at work right now but when I get home I can check Skype and probably get you an actual timestamp - not that it'll do much good to silence the conspiracy theorists.

[Phinnaeus Gage]

I've been accused of actually being Sonny Vleisides, which makes that 3 hour Skype call I had with him seem like the most awkward descent into madness ever.

Assuming that the three hour called took place this morning as Josh stated on my thread, I'm really taken aback at all the posting he was able to do doing that time frame (this morning) according to his post logs on this forum. https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=112832.msg1221072#msg1221072

Actually I believe it was an afternoon or evening interview. I'm at work right now but when I get home I can check Skype and probably get you an actual timestamp - not that it'll do much good to silence the conspiracy theorists.

I'm pretty sure it was this morning, for look at the following:

Just to prove I'm not making this up (I suppose I could have edited the text, but I certify it's 100% authentic!):

[8:46:29 AM] Josh: Haha I think some poor dude is about to get shithammered because his first name is Josh and his company is called Bitforce Consulting.
[8:46:58 AM] Josh: I feel sorry for what is about to befall him.
[8:47:03 AM] Sonny: oh jesus
[8:47:39 AM] Josh: He's in Layfette colorado, which is a small town... he's goign to be like WTF just happened?  Please, make the bad men stop!
[8:47:48 AM] Josh: If I post to correct people, they'll just assume I'm trying to cover stuff up.
[8:48:47 AM] Sonny: link?
[8:50:09 AM] Josh: To Bitforce Consulting?  Phinnius is threatening to post damning evidence of my connection to Bitforce prior to last year.  So I Googled up Josh and Bitforce.
[8:53:59 AM] Sonny: to the thread
[8:54:18 AM] Sonny: ******* REDACTED (mostly unrelated) ******
[8:54:38 AM] Josh: I KNOW! RIGHT?  I'm going to the Plaza to hold a sign up "The end is near!"

Therefore, since it's 100% authentic, the time stamp/zone is CST since Josh is in the KC, MO, and would have no reason to have it set for any other timezone.

~Bruno~

[enmaku]

I'm pretty sure it was this morning, for look at the following:

Just to prove I'm not making this up (I suppose I could have edited the text, but I certify it's 100% authentic!):

[8:46:29 AM] Josh: Haha I think some poor dude is about to get shithammered because his first name is Josh and his company is called Bitforce Consulting.
[8:46:58 AM] Josh: I feel sorry for what is about to befall him.
[8:47:03 AM] Sonny: oh jesus
[8:47:39 AM] Josh: He's in Layfette colorado, which is a small town... he's goign to be like WTF just happened?  Please, make the bad men stop!
[8:47:48 AM] Josh: If I post to correct people, they'll just assume I'm trying to cover stuff up.
[8:48:47 AM] Sonny: link?
[8:50:09 AM] Josh: To Bitforce Consulting?  Phinnius is threatening to post damning evidence of my connection to Bitforce prior to last year.  So I Googled up Josh and Bitforce.
[8:53:59 AM] Sonny: to the thread
[8:54:18 AM] Sonny: ******* REDACTED (mostly unrelated) ******
[8:54:38 AM] Josh: I KNOW! RIGHT?  I'm going to the Plaza to hold a sign up "The end is near!"

Therefore, since it's 100% authentic, the time stamp/zone is CST since Josh is in the KC, MO, and would have no reason to have it set for any other timezone.

~Bruno~

I'm failing to see what that timestamped conversation has to do with me? Am I some dude in Layfette CO who's making a company called Bitforce Consulting? WTF does this even have to do with my interview? You've got so many conspiracy theories you can't even remember who is involved in which ones...