Hey, should give you more to ponder over and discuss with me. You deserve to be in the loop, especially if this long journey is finally coming to an end.

If the result shapes up on the path its on, some people might actually think I've gone soft on some points. And I've occasionally felt presumptuous to leave some issues alone. But you'll see that I picked our battles around a central theme.

Really, everything important about the document breaks down into a) permissions for DA, b) protections for DA, and c) termination/survival.

I haven't worried much about the extremity of protection. Most of that is boilerplate, standard corporate body armor. Much as I squirm at some of it, it is there for a reason. We don't want DA subject to litigory terrorist attack.

Are we giving up a chip to accept that? Sure, but "better safe than sorry," is in all our best interests, if we truly love DA.

Some would say the permissions are over-reaching. I'm willing to think those represent license for DA's greatest ambitions, which we might often wildly enjoy. DA should have the right to get as cool as it wants to be. I'm all for that. So long as

We have the right to vote with our feet.

By giving us the explicit right to take our art and go, we can relax.

We can worry less about worst possible futures, and focus more on DA in the present.

How much unease and nervousness and sell-out anxiety and conspiracy theory can be dispelled by simply ensuring the freedom to leave?

So virtually every point I'm standing on is part of creating that freedom. Making sure that door is unlocked and smooth on its hinges.

With the individual removal clause, in particular. By nailing down some miscellaneous specifics sprinkled throughout. And by challenging the particular permission that endures by Survival.

(And, as one side issue, trying to nail down the promise, just a little bit more to make it a lot more meaningful.)

It's never been my intention to compromise deviantART. Rather, to be a little visionary, and create a real win/win for both the Community and Administration.

My attitude is that we get, as artists, what should be our fundamental right: the guarantee to reclaim our sole authority over our work (one piece at a time, if need be). Easily.

And deviantART, its Administration and its Community, benefit from a more relaxed atmosphere. We'll keep our eyes open, and always debate the issues of the day. But knowing

That so long as we're free to go, it's safe to stay.