Sunday, August 12, 2007

Hardware Zone forumers expose Odex director?

It looks like the "Odex vs Singapore anime fans" saga has taken a new twist. Reader Sailesh (some handsome photos of him here proudly showing off his new Action Ladfigure Inc T-shirt courtesy of San Street) writes to me in an email:
Do you remember the news about this anime distributor called Odex fining people for downloading anime? Even a 9-year-old got caught!

So anyway, some guys at HardwareZone found out that the Odex director, Stephen Sing has actually been bragging and laughing about catching downloaders! A description is here.

And we've pretty much confirmed that xysing is Stephen Sing himself. Such unethical behavior, don't you think? Imagine a police officer catching a criminal and then taunting and laughing at the criminal after that!

The local anime community at HWZ is shocked and angry at his remarks. Those who were called up by Odex said that Mr Sing mentioned that he had 'no choice' when it came to persecuting the downloaders. But from Mr Sing's posts, he actually appears to be enjoying it! We at HWZ are outraged enough to want to spread the word about his remarks.

More proof here. And the HWZ thread is here.
Wow! Great work by those people at the Hardware Zone forums - just like CSI aye. Anyway, even if the allegations above aren't true, I think the whole thing has already become a huge public relations disaster for the people at Odex.

They would have made some easy money from the people that they have sued so far but in the long run, I think they've dug their own grave. I've said it before in my previous post about Odex that the anime community in Singapore is a small and very closely knit one. To piss them off is as good as killing all your customers.

Update: Odex wins suit against Starhub and stands to win millions from anime fans.

Previously: Odex vs Singapore Anime Fans

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey nice job HWZ peeps for exposing that fucktard no life wanker. Stephen Sing, if you believe in retribution then u should realise your getting one soon. hope to see your face in the obitury soon. cheers.

sifu said...

that's the power of the internet...it unite people...and inform.
pen mightier than the sword...now it's the net.

Anonymous said...

A company that can make money anytime by suing people to no ends doesn't need public relations. They didn't care about advertising, public relations, and marketing b4, so why think they will now when they're making good money?

Anonymous said...

I guess someone needs to get to the bottom of this and ask him if it was really him making those remarks.

Anonymous said...

HWZ forumers got nothing better to do liao! Hahaha!

Anonymous said...

It is a lose-lose situation for Odex.

If they don't sue, people will keep downloading and not buy their vcds.

If they sue, people will find other ways to continue to watch anime for free and still not buy their vcds.

:oP

Anonymous said...

He's famous now!!!!

Anonymous said...

amazing what people can find about you online.

DK said...

9-year-old also sue? Wah ciao. Mei Liang Xin leh this fellow.

Anonymous said...

He should not brag about it. Tsk!!

Anonymous said...

Alvin: Sadly, you're mistaken.

If they produce good quality product (image, sound and subtitle) at a reasonable price, fans will buy.

As far as I have heard, at the prices they are charging, their product is of horribly low quality.

Anonymous said...

You guys are the pits...

When you download stuff without paying, you are stealing. Stealing is a crime. You get caught, you go jail.

A fine or a warning is just kindness and benovelance (spelling).

Imagine if you are the one selling the anime (anything for that matter, shoes, bags...) and people do not buy from you cos they can get it for free elsewhere. Wun you be mad?

I bought Odex anime before and I find their quality to be up there. Not the best, but still acceptable. I love their low prices and their selection.

Bottom line, people who support downloading stuff for free are thieves and should be thrown in jail. Stealing is a crime! (If I were in charge, I would chop off the hands of thieves, even 9 year olds!)

You want stuff, buy them or create them yourself.

Anonymous said...

I mean, whats the point of him anger the anime lovers, they are the ones who would buy his product, not people who dun see anime will buy anime dvd you see. IF he anger the anime lover public, who would still support odex? Isnt that not a wise thing to do? Anime boast the market much, if he stop anime downloading, the market will sure drop, a 9 year old couldnt afford you see, but he can save to buy things related to the anime he like. Odex is trying to warn everyone but at the same time anger everyone. Whats the point if odex cannot improve and at the same time discourage the public of anime lovers!!??

Anonymous said...

Quote: "Anonymous said...
You guys are the pits...

When you download stuff without paying, you are stealing. Stealing is a crime. You get caught, you go jail.

A fine or a warning is just kindness and benovelance (spelling).

Imagine if you are the one selling the anime (anything for that matter, shoes, bags...) and people do not buy from you cos they can get it for free elsewhere. Wun you be mad?

I bought Odex anime before and I find their quality to be up there. Not the best, but still acceptable. I love their low prices and their selection.

Bottom line, people who support downloading stuff for free are thieves and should be thrown in jail. Stealing is a crime! (If I were in charge, I would chop off the hands of thieves, even 9 year olds!)

You want stuff, buy them or create them yourself."


please do not try 2 act righteous or wad. if Odex was really going to "educate the young and create public awarness on priacy" they wud had request the offenders to erase all anime from their possesions, and note them down so to charge them heavily if they offend again.
they WOULD NOT had sued them for money. and u think their pricing is reasonable? hmmm lets see, theres the chance dat u work for Odex, another is that u belong to the richest 5% in Singapore.

Bottom Line, the Odex saga is bad enuff, some one who trys 2 shoot crap around and act righteous is the worst of all.

Anonymous said...

its funny enough, that ODEX never have a proper website for its company....i can remember it VERY clearly as i bought ODEX VCD before (HAND MAID MAY) and would like to see its webbie....it was "STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION" - ITS 2 years back!!!!!!!! and till now still not up yet???? what are they doing,man? FISHY enough, they rather update their AVPAS website rather than ODEX....you tell me, they are up to something, isnt it?

Anonymous said...

"please do not try 2 act righteous or wad. if Odex was really going to "educate the young and create public awarness on priacy" they wud had request the offenders to erase all anime from their possesions, and note them down so to charge them heavily if they offend again.
they WOULD NOT had sued them for money. and u think their pricing is reasonable? hmmm lets see, theres the chance dat u work for Odex, another is that u belong to the richest 5% in Singapore.

Bottom Line, the Odex saga is bad enuff, some one who trys 2 shoot crap around and act righteous is the worst of all."
- Quoted from above.

I wish I was one of the 5% richest people in singapore! But regardless, being poor or rich does not give anyone the right to steal.

Bottom line, I can be righteous as I want (I always buy what I want from stores) cos that's nothing compared to theives who steal other people's work for free.

BTW, being righteous is not a crime, stealing is.

Anonymous said...

Quoted from the Anonymous before me:
"I wish I was one of the 5% richest people in singapore! But regardless, being poor or rich does not give anyone the right to steal.

Bottom line, I can be righteous as I want (I always buy what I want from stores) cos that's nothing compared to theives who steal other people's work for free.

BTW, being righteous is not a crime, stealing is."

Are you one of those losers from Odex? Or are you some retard that broke out of the mental hospital? If you're neither, you ought to be ashamed of yourself! Is your existance as low as bowing down to those big losers who would even fine a 9 year old kid?
If you've compared the quality and the cost behind those anime being distributed by Odex and the anime being released by fansub groups, you'll understand why. By the way, downloading from fansub group isn't stealing, since downloading from fansub group is NOT downloading the anime RAW from Japan.
Get your facts right before even babbling any nonsense. This also applies to you Odex losers out there. SEE THIS AND GET THIS INTO YOUR PEA-SIZED BRAIN.

Anonymous said...

Using the "sued 9-year-old" as an argument against Odex is immature. A crime is a crime, and the 3k-5k fine is a lesson (as a matter of fact, a really great one for the child, since it's a lesson in life). No one is receiving a criminal record.

Besides, access to animes is NOT a RIGHT. It's a luxury. You get it if you can afford it, and you only have yourself to blame if you can't. It is as simple as, if you don't like/can't afford what we are selling, don't buy it, let alone steal it.

Eg, if you think Odex's quality sucks, then don't buy it. Instead, import it. If you can't (price, payment options, etc), then it is not for you. Just because you can't afford something doesn't give you the right to steal it.

Having said that, I still think Odex is a lousy company. Shitty quality, and unethical practices.

Anonymous said...

nice sharing. keep it up..

Anonymous said...

Rather good idea

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