Robin Hood Software regularly requests that their affiliate network engage in deceptive and possibly illegal acts in order to sell the software, but whenever an affiliate spams or sends a "push link" via ICQ, is swift to claim that these are the acts of rogue affiliates or of some strange "New World Order" anti-privacy conspiracy that they vaguely refer to on their aptly-named DisInformation page.
Robin Hood Software is two people, Andrew ("Andy") Stephen Churchill (b. 13/07/1970) and Robert Henry Ride (b. 22/09/1972). Andy is the marketing "genius" behind Robin Hood Software, while Mr. Ride is apparently the technical "genius" behind Robin Hood Software. They formed Robin Hood Software apparently sometime in late 1998 or early to mid 1999, and formally incorporated it in May 2000. At least until a few months ago, they lived at the same address, apparently, to the extent that some people even think Andy's last name is "Ride" (see this USENET post for the gory details on that). Mr. Churchill gave this information to UUNET-UK as of May 1, 2001:
NEWS FLASH![3-24-2002]: The BT White pages now gives this info: Robin Hood Software Ltd, 1st Floor, 14a Musters Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7PL (0115) 914 0007 . Streetmap.co.uk reports that this is near the intersection of Chaworth Rd. and Musters Rd., off of the A606. (NG 2?). One of my correspondents went by that address, and saw nothing but a pizza shop and curry shop, no sign for Robin Hood Software anywhere. The pizza shop is at 12 Musters Road (as this snippet from the BT White Pages shows), the curry shop is at 14 Musters road (see BT white pages). So apparently the world headquarters of the self-styled "#1 security application" is behind or above a curry shop! (Hmm, so if they're #1, where's all the money going -- to open curry shops?!).
According to Companies House (the official UK registrar for corporations), they incorporated on 22 May 2000. The address at which they're registered with Companies House, Bridge House, 181 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 4DZ appears to be either their accountant's office or something similar to the U.S. "Mailboxes Etc." (i.e., a mail drop). According to my U.K correspondent: "Here in the UK it's quite normal to have a registered company address that is an accountant or business address provider. [...] Using a home address as a companies address increases Taxable Value of the property. Doing this though is nearly always an indicator that they are working out of a bedroom/garage! The address isn't exactly a quality business address either; look it up on www.upmystreet.com and get all the info on the quality of area."
The latest revision of the evidence-eliminator.com web site (as of March 1, 2002) shows a new registered agent for the EE people (apparently trotting off to the Mailboxes Etc. in London got to be a drag!): Registered Office: Robin Hood Software Ltd., Gothic House, Barker Gate, Nottingham NG1 1JU United Kingdom.
According to a UK correspondent as of March 22, 2002, they're advertising for a webmaster in the Nottingham newspapers. He decided to go check out the "world headquarters" of this noble and wealthy enterprise at Gothic House (their officially listed address on their web site), and found the UK equivalent of a Mailboxes Etc. mailbox service (Heheh, did I call it right or not?!). Will they find a web master? Will they find a clue? Do come back for the next episode of "How Andy Turns", y'hear!
We have not yet checked Companies House to see whether this is their currently-registered agent (huh, how can a mailbox outlet be a "registered agent"?). If you are intending to sue Robin Hood Software for whatever reason, you will be best served by sending your service agent / certified mail to all four addresses -- the two registered agent addresses we know about, and the two street addresses that we know about.
The most interesting thing about Robin Hood Software is their affiliate network. Perhaps via massive applications of spam similar to that that they sent to Ellipse (no longer around, alas), they have signed up most p0rn web site vendors, and a large selection of the lunatic fringe ultra-right-wing black helicopter paranoia pushers. A swift Google search turns up hundreds of affiliates. According to one source, affiliates may get up to $75 per sale. No wonder people are willing to spam in order to sell the product! Please note that their affiliates are agents of the company, and Robin Hood Software is responsible for their behavior -- but doesn't appear to care, blaming bad behavior on the part of affiliates alternately on "joe jobs" (affiliates trying to get other affiliates kicked out of the affiliate program) or on some sort of vast New World Order conspiracy which includes Wired Magazine, Lycos, Carnegie-Mellon University, the U.S. Department of Defense, Internet.com, TECHTV, PC-Help (Keith Little), Paul Allen, Radsoft, myself, and probably the next people they'll acuse are the Vatican and the Pope. Whoops, they (or one of their affiliates) have already done so. What strange, demented people these are!
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| Is this the world headquarters of Robin Hood Software, between the curry shop and the pizza shop? [Click for bigger image] |