Wednesday 20 January 2010

The message from a discovery

I chanced upon an incredibly familiar blog post today. 2 sentences into it and suddenly I realised… Hey! I was the person who wrote it! I googled the title of the post and found that this particular entry was reproduced in quite a number of blogs…

The entry I am referring to is
“A professional mistake”.

Apparently, that entry has been circulating amongst the Big 4 for a while and one particular firm actually had it stored in their database. Something tells me the partners are not aware of it.

Apearances in the blogosphere include…
Life – From my perspectiveLet me be meLife iz beautifulAuditing & AccountingI dream of Jeanniethe lowyat forum… . A special appearance also took place in this site called Accountantkey.com. I wonder who owns this site. I am flattered that what I wrote gets circulated. But I have to say though, nothing was mentioned about the … ahem… original author.

Of course, I am painfully aware of the possible debate on whether I am original author. And it has been challenged. I can only make a claim that it was indeed my original piece and certainly, I do not expect everyone to accept it.

I can only rely on the fact that I have written extensively on
Modern Slavery and if one has gone through all my Modern Slavery entries, there should not be any doubt. But of course, one can choose not to believe. Only Allah God knows.

And today’s discovery made me something else…

A compilation of entries from this blog was submitted to a publisher. Nothing came out of it simply because my writings have already appeared on the net. Back then, I don’t quite get it as I thought the readership of those articles was pretty limited. Surely, many have not read it before.

Today though, I think I understand the implications. Something posted on the net can be reproduced with just a click of a button. Not that printed materials are copy-proof, just that stuff in the virtual world is more vulnerable.

Just as what some people have been telling me, the message is pretty clear…. It’s time to stop blogging and focus on writing a book.


1 year ago…
Do spare themCNY is up to us

2 years ago… London Friday night out

32 comments:

TG said...

People take content without giving the credit, is very common, Zewt. I always quote every source, even for every little image I borrow, but so many don't. Ok, it's one thing, where you post something and you don't know the author, it's another one when you do know and still publish, even claim as your own. It's disrespectful, because we bloggers put some effort to write this stuff. For me it is a hobby, I don't blog for money, and most of the whole experience is very pleasant, met so many nice people (including you). But now and then there's a bad seed, ignorant haters or those, who steal your content blatantly. You can publish a book, sure. But don't stop blogging, buddy :) You will disappoint many people :)

Oh, and googling your blog's URL is always good to do, you can see where people wrote about you or linked to you. You may find many surprising websites, hehe.

Eunice said...

Someone forwarded it around and i thought it was a good write up. Now I know who wrote it, credits to you Zewt :)

InjusticeSistem said...

A very big OUCH! God damn... it stings like a bee n hurts like a bee-yatch....yea man...better turn into a full-time blogger n make it big n popular n turn it into a best selling book n bcome rich n famous n be ur own boss.
Best part is u get to continue to write abt ur job n bitch abt clients/bosses/colleagues etc etc.....exactly what dis guy did....
Steve Dublianca aka http://waiterrant.net/
absolutely wonderful blog but i dont thk he wait tables anymore now tat he's rich....so no more funny stories abt waiting tables, but if u hv time check out his older post, im sure slaves like us can really relate to his 'rants'

Aoki said...

Your professional mistake entry was circulated among my cell members. Then everyone kept asking who wrote it and i said oh it's by "zewt". They thought i was your stalker because i was so confident that i knew it was your entry. In actual fact, that entry was one of my top favourite entry and till today, i still remember the contents/context of it! So yeah, i am your stalker, zewt! :) Be proud! Hahhahahahhahaa.....

I'm suprised quite a number of ppl in my cg knows you! Gosh, so famous! :P

lowyat ktard said...

sorry dude.. u got no proof it's urs, u might be copying someone else as well. whatever comes out from /k/ is the truth. oh wai... it;s from J&C in lolyat and it was then forwarded among PwC colleagues... So stop writing stupid msg like this

zewt said...

Have you ever wondered who is the original writer of that piece? :)

http://zewt.blogspot.com/2010/01/message-from-discovery.html
January 20, 2010 4:55 AM


because it's part of the public IP now. You lays no claim on it. So stop spamming other people's blog. big shame on u

Faisal Admar said...

can you report to blogspot or the provider involved?

this is shitty man!

kyh said...

you should've copyrighted every article you write from now onwards. heh. but seeing it from a positive light, it means that your article was good, that's why they keep forwarding it! :)

eiling lim said...

Hey that's plagiarism. I think it's a pity that your work gets stolen and someone is making big bucks out there out of your writings. this is so unfair!

Cruel Angel said...

woot.. same as buying Pirated DVD

fake LV bags...

and the list goes on

Terra Shield said...

I noticed you have a 'do not copy' button on your blog. People just don't care, do they?

Bill said...

Hi there:) Nice to finally found the author of the Professional Mistake:) I was wanting to put the author name to the article but unfortunately it was a forward email to me from my student and I leave it as an Unknown Author. I am a Lecturer for ACCA/CAT and that website AccountantKey.com aim to provide information to the people that really wanna know more truth about the real accounting world:) I will be glad to put your name as the Author:) and I do trust you are the author:) Do email me your info and nice knowing you, and looking forward to your book:)

missironic said...

Wahh.. ur work is circulating around and without acknowledgment that it is UR work. Somehow, it felt rather unfair. Should have given credit to u. U took the time to write that post, to share with us and it's being circulating without any credits. If me, I feel dissatisfied, is like something being stolen from u. But I guess, in a way u can see it is flattery but yet... is hard to see it in a positive way.

Zewt, if you write a book, i'll support u! Writing a book is my dream! Hahaha...

sinlady said...

it is flattering to see your work reproduced:) maybe you should write to the ones who did not credit original writer?

Linda said...

You have a very good writing skills, good command in English, and very strong opinions that makes your work republish somewhere else, with or without your acknowledgement. At one point of reading your blog, I really think that you should produce a book. :)

It's an honour to you and a disgrace for those who intentionally copy your work and claim it as theirs.

Faisal Admar said...

me too, agree with terra. or you just built that in recently?

but i hate to pay extra :(

Shameless said...

nooo don't stop blogging. but yes definitely write a book!

zewt said...

MKL - some have actually acknowledged that it's mine but looking at one comment here.... he doesnt seem to believe so. and though he commented without a link, i know which blog he came from.

Eunice - hello there. thank you. appreciate it.

InjusticeSistem - hahaha... i do read that blog occassionally in the past. quite a funny guy. he can risk his job, i cant...

Aoki - hahaha.... that's because i have been to your church before mah. as a matter of fact, almost became a member!

lowyat ktard - no, it is you who has no shame, claiming something that you dont even know, and crediting a piece of work to public without knowing the source. just because you commented based without a link, you think i dont know who you are? besides, looking at your blog, trying very hard to attract ppl who wanna dig audit info into your blog eh? well, copying ppl's work wont get you anywhere. and please, that entry was not meant to be a joke. get some originality, it might do you some good.

zewt said...

Faisal Admar - nah... dont think blogspot can do anything anyway.

kyh - i can, but it will not stop ppl from copying it. anyway, i have no qualms in people copying it, just credit it back to the rightful author.

eiling lim - life is never fair. some have acknowledged it, some are trying to be smart.

Cruel Angel - hello there. malaysians are good at that.

Terra Shield - they dont, unfortunately. check out the comment from lowyat ktard above.

zewt said...

Bill - hello Bill. Thank you for your acknowledgement. I have sent you a message in your domain.

missironic - hahaha... i have something in mind. nothing related to modern slavery world though. but at the same time, dunno if it will pass the publisher this time round.

sinlady - i did, and one response isnt that great. check out the comment from lowyat ktard above.

Linda - thanks for your complimens, very encouraging indeed :) i am seriously working on the titles and chapters of a book. but it wont be easy.

Abena - hey there... working on it... working on it...

littlepolaris said...

But zewt is so famous... how can those ppl who copied the post didn't know that you are the author? >.<

jam said...

Oh good news! ZEWT is planning to write a book! Tell me when it is in the bookstore, ok?

Huei said...

HAHAHA omfg i just read the ktard's reply..how stupid! hahahahahhah

zewt said...

littlepolaris - hahaha... not famous la.

jam - apparently, i need isolation to get that done. tips from an established author.

Huei - and he thought i didnt know who he is...

hikazew® said...

Hi Zewt,

You can still publish your entries as a book.
E.g. The Train Man (Densha Otoko) was a Channel 2 discussion and yet someone took it to have it published into a book and also translated into English. Subsequently it made into the movies and series.
Looking forward to Zewt: The Collective Works

;)

p/s mail me if u need a printer and a publisher haha

missironic said...

Give it a try. Keep us update on the book! ;)

zewt said...

hikazew - you're a publisher?

missironic - i am really trying :0)

lowyat ktard said...

do u think i care? i dun care about the author as long the piece is nice i just share it. i dont even know whether u are the original author or not. I am happy and I like blogspot because it's great but I do not care who is the creator of blogspot. Do you even know? Nobody knows, but everyone knows blogspot. Just because I commented without a link you simply assume i want to hide my identity? I don't care whether or not u know my identity or not, coz i ain't got nothing to lose here. Haha look who's talking here. Who's trying hard to attract ppl into HIS blog, shamelessly leaving comments on others' blog. Whether where i get to does not concern you. How writing an original piece get you anywhere? Aren't u still doing the same ol' routine, i pity u have a lifeless life. anyway, to me, to us, to everyone it's a nice JOKE. We will never feel it because we never and wont experience such lifeless life.Most importantly, are u the original author? I still do not believe, none of the lowyat people believe either. Try starting a thread in forum.lowyat.net/k and ask for justice lah. Originality doesn't necessary bring goodness. Look at China, they have no originality, look who's the new superpower now? kthxbye

Petite Lass said...

Hey Zewt, don't ever stop blogging. There're always some spoilt apples among a basket of them. Isolate them and you have a basket full of good apples! Gambatte! I enjoy your reading your blog very much.

Kok Siong said...

Thanks to lowyat, we might never get to read another nice article from zewt. Unless you can start blogging a couples of articles worthy to be read, you will never gain respect from readers from zewt. To acknowledge and give credit to the origin writer is the minimum respect we can show appreciation for their work. To say you do not care for the original author shows how ignorant lowyat is as a blogger

zewt said...

lowyat ktard - why are you hiding your kauditor blog? lack of essence?

petite lass - thanks for the encouragement.

kok siong - thanks bro, lunch somtime again...

Jeannie said...

hey! thx for informing me. I actually got it from a forwarded email. i find it really interesting n true therefore posted it up in my blog to share. Now that I know who's the original author i'll quote that it's from you. ;-)

zewt said...

Jeannie - hello there... no worries. thank you...