back to article 'Nutjob' serves half-baked Raspberry PI scam

Some people will go to any lengths to get a Raspberry PI, except pay the $35 price tag. The Raspberry Pi Foundation has published an IM conversation it claims took place between 'Foundation founder Eben Upton and a “nutjob” trying to blag a PI for free. The chancer employed a carrot-and-stick technique, dangling the prospect …

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  1. g e
    FAIL

    Hahahah. Dick.

    Cos everyone can tell that someone with an IM name like 'Steve' is Jewish. What a cocksmoker.

    If he'd maybe been called Isaac_Goldstein1845 then yeah...

    1. Bob Vistakin
      Facepalm

      Re: Hahahah. Dick.

      However, when a nutjob corporation desperately playing catchup tries to extort $5 per Android handset, everyone bends over immediately.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Hahahah. Dick.

        Bob, does your nurse know that you're out of bed again?

        Everything isn't about Microsoft.

    2. Keep Refrigerated
      Headmaster

      Re: Hahahah. Dick.

      Not to take away from your sentiment but 'Steve' is a perfectly acceptable Jewish name, derivative of Stephen.

      Like that other Jewish fellow, Mr Spielberg.

      1. Arbee

        Re: Hahahah. Dick.

        I think his point is that it is not a stereotypical Jewish name. When someone states their name is Steve, you don't instantly assume "must be Jewish".

    3. The Man Who Fell To Earth Silver badge
      Mushroom

      Re: Hahahah. Dick.

      This "Steve" writes English like he's Chinese. Scams like a (poor) Chinese businessman as well.

  2. Tom7

    It seems believable - he has about the average literacy of a New York journalist, after all.

  3. Andraž 'ruskie' Levstik

    Hehe

    Amazing. I think the foundation should employ a profesional troll for such cases. Get more entertainment from it and of course record it to youtube with ads to get some extra revenue ;)

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    He's taking his time...

    "Eben Upton refused to have deal with Jews" doesn't appear in any New York paper headlines that Google can find.

    1. mittfh
      Thumb Up

      Re: He's taking his time...

      Simple - it's The Daily Steve, with a circulation of precisely one.

      1. Psyx

        Re: He's taking his time...

        "Simple - it's The Daily Steve, with a circulation of precisely one."

        I'd actually buy that.

        1. Lee Dowling Silver badge

          Re: He's taking his time...

          By definition, unless you printed it yourself you wouldn't be able to.

          Because buying it would make it "The Daily Steve, with a circulation of precisely two".

      2. Bob Vistakin
        Linux

        Re: He's taking his time...

        Hey careful, apparently "not everything is about Microsoft" so leave their handset sales figures out of it please.

  5. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Trollface

    Palestinians are semites, too!

    Journalist working for a newspaper based in New York?

    Randomly and accuses people of being anti-semitic?

    Could that newspaper be the Gray Lady?

    In the next episode: "Gimme one for free or I will attack Iran!"

  6. Dr. Mouse

    The one point he raised that I agree with is that it is often policy for companies to hand out sample components. I have had several when I have been in the prototyping stages of projects. The difference here is that the 'Pi foundation is a not-for-profit organisation with a "No samples" policy, and rightly so. Very few of my projects have got off the ground, and a NFP can't afford to be handing out freebies.

    All that said, the guy here was obviously a blagger. He should at least learn English if he want's to try this (especially claiming he is a journo, although his writing skills aren't that far off most journalists... No offense meant :-P ), and resorting to threats and accusations of racism are not the answer.

    One thing which was pointed out on the Pi site, however, is that Eben's frustration was clearly showing by the end of the exchange. I don't blame him for becomming frustrated, and I would have been much worse, but his responses left something to be desired.

    Personally I would have told him to **** off much sooner and ignored him, or presented him with a torrent of abuse, but that's why I'm not in a public-facing role...

    1. Efros
      Pint

      I sometimes wish there were more people like you, or indeed myself in public facing roles. Would make customer service much more interesting.

      1. David Webb

        I'm going to guess you've never dealt with TalkTalk or Orange customer service........

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      ? You what ?

      Every place I have ever worked has had a policy of no free stuff.

      Its simple. If you give stuff free to one person then you must give stuff free to everyone.

      ANother trick people try to pull is. I want a sample now and I will buy huge number later, what can yopu do on the price...

      My answer. You pay full amount for the sample. The bulk order can have a discount.

      1. Jason Bloomberg Silver badge
        WTF?

        Re: ? You what ?

        Its simple. If you give stuff free to one person then you must give stuff free to everyone.

        Rubbish. It's entirely possible to set criteria for who gets free stuff and who doesn't. That's quite common and presumably that's what the Raspberry Pi Foundation applied when it handed out the free stuff it has.

    3. Z80
      Headmaster

      "He should at least learn English if he want's..."

      KLANG!

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "He should at least learn English if he want's to try this"

      I really hope that was deliberate...

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        I once worked for a company that gave out a free sample of it's software, which helped automate the flashing of routers.

        A large bank trialled it, upgraded their routers, than said "thanks, but I don't think we'll buy it now!"....

      2. Dr. Mouse
        FAIL

        ' "He should at least learn English if he want's to try this"

        I really hope that was deliberate...'

        All I can say is "Ooops!"

        Mahoosive FAIL on my part there...

    5. My Alter Ego

      Re: Responses left something to be desired

      You could see he was getting fed up, but I didn't see any responses that left something to be desired. Sure, there were some curt replies, but nothing rude.

    6. This post has been deleted by its author

    7. mhenriday
      Pint

      Have to disagree (in part), Dr. Mouse -

      rather than his «frustration clearly showing», I found Eben's responses conciliatory to the threshold of self-effacement. Your last paragraph, however, is spot on and descriptive not merely of what your own reaction would have been, but also that of many others, including the undersigned....

      As to the accusations of «anti-Semitism», they are par for the course when dealing with a certain class of people. When arguments fail....

      Henri

  7. RainForestGuppy

    "Is it because I is Black?"

    I wonder if Sacha Baron-Cohen's next creation is a Jewish Newspaper reporter who attempts to blag lots of free stuff and then shouts Anti-Semite when his requests are turned down?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: "Is it because I is Black?"

      We all know that whatever Sacha Baron-Cohen's next character is, it will be - hilariously - anti Semitic.

      It's funny because Sacha is Jewish - DO YOU GET IT? He's pretending to be something which is against what he is, the subtlety is astounding. IT'S FUNNY.

      FUNNY.

      Not in the slightest tedious...

      1. dogged

        Re: "Is it because I is Black?"

        An anti-Smite Jewish guy would make a good character but I think SB-C wants you to hate his creations and will therefore probably never make a comedy Jew. Just a comedy everything else, because that's not racist....

  8. Purlieu

    Cold calls

    At our house we get cold calls of course, but we compete with each other to see how fast you can get the caller to tell you to fuck off (or equivalent).by stinging them along and unsubtle remarks.

    Also, when I get a thick Indian accent come on and say "hello my name is Margaret" I usually reply with "that's funny mine's Deepak"

    1. RainForestGuppy

      Re: Cold calls

      When I got cold called by a conservatory company, I immediately booked a sales appointment in the evening. When the salesman turned up he was not particulary impressed when I invited him up the stairs to my first floor flat

      My reply was if they want to waste my time, I'll happily waste theirs.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Cold calls

      In my house we try to pick on people doing jobs which we find slightly irritating, but they probably have to do just to live. I made someone cry once, it made me feel like a big man.

      1. Purlieu

        Re: Big man

        Presumably there's also someone forcing them to work in call centres, what a situation

      2. This post has been deleted by its author

  9. Graysonn

    To be fair, there's currently a 13 week waiting period after you order. That's january. The guy probably couldn't wait that long.

    1. Mike Tree
      Facepalm

      If he wants one without waiting, there are dozens on ebay 'buy it now'.

      He's just a freeloader.

    2. Mister_C

      Beat me to the joke, so here's some boring stuff

      Only one of the suppliers has a lead time based on "Jam tomorrow, never today" (raspberry of course). The other supplier is quoting three weeks and shipping after three days (personal experience based on an order placed last week which shipped yesterday). No names given coz I don't want downvotes from their employees ;)

      Tandy and Maplin are also advertising "in stock" and "late September" respectively, and CPC appear to be selling them OTC like hot pies

      Oh, and peeps on eBay are still punting activation codes. For the souvenir hunters, methinks

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      More delays

      I ordered my Pi in June but have just been told there will be another delay of "up to 4 weeks".

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: More delays

        the e-mail is sprinkled with bonus apostrophes as well.

      2. Cyberspy
        Happy

        Re: More delays

        Just sold an extra one I had on eBay, in an auction for £68 to someone in Khazakstan. Perhaps it was S B-C himself!

  10. Annihilator
    Happy

    Hmm

    Idiot appears on Internet, film at 11.

  11. Sterling101

    Do or do not - there is no try...

    Now I've got no problem with asking for something - sometimes it works and you bag a freebie.

    But when a psychotic retard of a keyboard warrior gets involved it's another matter!

    I bet he was the kid at school that ordered the Donor Card full display kiosk for his 'mates' because they were free!

    Top marks to Upton though for outing this cocktard for the joke he is :)

  12. Marty
    Facepalm

    Lol, that guy is like the talky toaster on Red dwarf.....

  13. andreas koch
    Happy

    Isn't it ironic

    that up to this point New York Jewish wannabe blackmailer journalists were made fun of about 4 times, yet no-one spotted that Mr. Clarkes use of [sic]* is somehow wrong. You don't correct the original when you use it, that's the whole point: To show up the loser who couldn't spell. And that it wasn't your own typo.

    I think your automatic australian analcucumber autocorrect shot you in your own foot. ;-)

    *Compare the correct spelling (albeit wrong use) of the "sic"-ed "lecture" to the original post on the RP site.

    Apart from that, I agree.

    Steve's a bum.

    1. Alister

      Re: Isn't it ironic

      I would be seriously worried if your auto-correct has "analcucumber" as one of its dictionary words - or possibly you had occasion to "Add to Dictionary" at some previous time.

  14. Madeye
    Alien

    What Steve doesn't know is "Eben" is in fact the Maas Neotek robot formerly known as Julia and he's just failed a Turing test

  15. proto-robbie
    Coat

    Should have...

    ...just given him the Raspberry.

    1. Stewart Cunningham
      Facepalm

      Re: Should have...

      Did the downvoters miss the "stick your tongue out and blow" meaning? Or is the sensohumometer set to Heckle?

    2. jjk
      Devil

      Re: Should have...

      .. just *told* him he'd send him one. No need to actually do so.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Should have...

        Got his *real* name and mailing address and posted the whole thing.

        Anonymous cuz I dig the masque.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Should have...

          should have asked for his name and address, then confirmed that indeed he is right that the head of the foundation does have discretion for changing some policies - and has just introduced a new policy that all blackmail attempts be reported to the police... :)

    3. JayBizzle
      Go

      Re: Should have...

      I'm the one holding your coat waiting to usher you out the door....

  16. thegrouch

    I'm reminded of a Python sketch for some reason....

    Interviewer Good evening. I have with me in the studio tonight one of the country's leading skin specialists - Raymond Luxury Yacht.

    Raymond That's not my name.

    Interviewer I'm sorry - Raymond Luxury Yach-t.

    Raymond No, no, no - it's spelt Raymond Luxury Yach-t, but it's pronounced 'Throatwobbler Mangrove'.

    Interviewer You're a very silly man and I'm not going to interview you.

    Raymond Ah, anti-semitism!

    1. thegrouch

      Re: I'm reminded of a Python sketch for some reason....

      I should point out that Graham Chapman is sporting a huge false nose.

      1. Jediben
        Coffee/keyboard

        Re: I'm reminded of a Python sketch for some reason....

        The addendum about the visual gag is what made the tea vacate my nasal cavity.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Megaphone

    To make a serious point...

    To some people, Judaism is tantamount to a nationality. United Nations-wise, it clearly isn't, but to call Judaism simply a religion is something of a simplification.

    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: To make a serious point...

      New Judaism - "it's a religion and a dessert topping"

      1. Long John Brass
        Joke

        Re: To make a serious point...

        Splitter!

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Frankly any organisation that eschews bacon can include me out. Religion, state or fashion; it's just not going to fly.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @moiety

      pigs might fly??

    2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
      Coat

      "Frankly any organisation that eschews bacon can include me out. Religion, state or fashion; it's just not going to fry."

      There. Fixed it for you.

      Coat. Got. Gone.

  19. Chris Rowland

    They did give some away

    Early on, Eben took a load of them to a school and the kids kept them. IIRC complete with keyboard, mouse and SD card. Maybe PSU and cables.

    One kid put it on eBay, there was a bit of a fuss on the Pi group and Eben said that it was a gift and they were free to do what they liked with it.

    That doesn't excuse this guy though.

  20. The Serpent

    Should have sent in a picture of a dinosaur

    That seems to work

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I wanna hire this guy

    Clearly willing to work for < $20 per hour.

    hahahaha

  22. Nordrick Framelhammer
    Trollface

    I would have sent him one...

    Of course, it might not be assembled, the board may not have any circuits etched on it nor artwork related to the location of components, no firmware loaded and a brief note saying "Some assembly required."

  23. Paul Lingwood

    T'was...

    .. Steve Jobs reaching out beyond the grave. The Pi infringes some apple patents ... y'know .. Apple - Raspberry.

    It shall be known in court as the 'Fruit n Nut Case'.

  24. Disintegrationnotallowed
    Childcatcher

    Should have sent him here:

    http://www.princetonai.com/bot/bot.jsp

    Using Steve's conversation:

    Steve: Hello Eben

    Bot Eben: Salute again!

    Steve:It’s Steve, B.A Applied Math Student

    Do you have a minute?

    Bot Eben: Even if I have a minute - it's my own business! And I forgot to ask you where you are from...

    Steve: I wanted to present to my lecturers and administration your computer, I mean the RP.

    Bot Eben: I hope you are not one of those computer "geeks"

    Steve: And because I am going to visit my high school too I can show it there too

    so if they will be interested then they may buy thousands of units

    Bot Eben: What can I say? Good reason. Oh, what a fruitful conversation;-)

    Steve: Can you please send me sample of model B so they can see it?

    Bot Eben: Can't you do it yourself? What about me - I can do almost everything... But in extremely ugly way:-)

    Steve: But what I do is a free advertisement for you

    what will I get if they will buy thousands?

    Eben Bot: No, I don't what will you get if they will buy thousands, unfortunately!

    Steve: It doesn’t cost you 30 dollars, show me please where will you

    find free advertisement with potential for thousand units to be sold?

    Maybe, but who knows the future? I can't decide myself if I will find free advertisement with potential for thousand units to be sold or not.

  25. Arachnoid

    Could have told him to colect it from London next time he was on a Jurno job

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