I don't like to see Craig so mad...

[ernest828]

Point noted Craig. Thanks, Ernest

[Brittanylips]

[quote]Originally posted by Anderton: [b]<> What has really ticked me off is the (G) EQ thread where one poster has repeated time and time again about how Mitch writes too many reviews (he used the figure 4 out of 6). So I went to the trouble to post a list of who wrote what reviews for the last few months. Apparently that wasn't good enough, so I posted the number of reviews Mitch wrote out of the totals for November 2002 - May 2003. This same person INSISTS that there is a major quid pro quo with manufacturers, that we respond to pressure, blah blah. He then went on to talk about Steve O's editorial in EM which basically said "Manufacturers sometimes pressure us but we resist." Well that's what I've been saying! So couple that with various other comments that have been made over time, and frankly, I'm just tired of being asked "When did you stop beating your wife?" I try to be a model of patience here, but y'know, sometimes I just get fed up. It happens. <> I don't take away the fact that I know Paul personally. It's an unsubstantiated comment about a friend, so it upsets me more. And since he wasn't here to defend himself, Dave and I did. <> True. But I don't know either one personally and therefore cannot comment on whether Bush is a genius, the devil, misguided, whatever. Your guess is as good as mine. <> Well, does it really seem so strange that if someone likes a piece of gear enough to buy it, then maybe, just maybe, they think highly of the gear and the company that makes it? And therefore get additional gear from that same company? If as you claim accommodation prices are an industry-wide practice -- which by and large, it is -- then Paul has the opportunity to buy whatever he wants. No one holds a gun up to my head about what I should purchase to equip my studio, and I'm sure the same is true with Paul. HE LIKES DRAWMER GEAR. He's not the only one. I like Paul Reed Smith guitars. I'm not the only one there either. I truly believe that if Drawmer put out a piece of crap, Paul would neither buy it nor give it a favorable review. That to me is the salient point. [/b][/quote]Fair enough, and I truly accept what you say about baseless conspiracy theories, and have said similar things myself. Interestingly enough, I think the fact that you are friends with Paul and defend him when attacked helps make the point that although there is no conspiracy, reviewers are human, and friendships may influence their reactions. How can they not? While I wouldn’t have written what I wrote had I known that it would have offended you, the truth is, I’m neither Paul’s friend, nor his enemy, and have no bone to pick. I’m not saying he is a bad guy, does bad things, eats babies for breakfast, or doesn’t work hard to bring the truth to his readers. I merely expressed that in my opinion, FWIW (maybe nothing -- it wouldn't be the first time I was dead wrong) offered in a thread on the topic, he does seem a little manufacturer-friendly to me. I don't feel that way when I read stuff from you, Mitch, David Pogue, and many others for whom accommodation prices are also available. And if I knew there was another thread in which the topic had developed into a storm, I would have kept my mouth shut. I also realize it's strange when people talk about a well-known person they don't know when you actually know the person. In this case, while I was simply voicing an impression of some magazine I read every now and then, you were hearing a personal, unsubstantiated attack on a close friend. I apologize for giving you that impression but didn't mean it in that way at all. I have voiced stronger opinions about others in the media in this forum, and I understand that those too may come across as unsubstantiated attacks to their friends. [b] << Only My Opinion -- YMMV -- noses and bums -- wouldn't have made the comment had I known you would have been so bothered by it>> Well, it just happened to be about someone who I know takes all this stuff very seriously and puts forth maximum effort, so yeah, I got upset. Perhaps it was an overreaction but there are a few things that push my buttons and accusing good people of doing bad things is one of them.[/b] Again, fair enough. However, I too am a good person, and do bad things all the time. Most bad things, actually, are probably done by good people and for all the best intentions. Incidentally, I don't think that being influenced by friendships is the worst thing in the world, or may even neccesarily be conscious. [b]<> It's mostly Ernest's comments that drive me up the wall. I mean, he's entitled to his opinion, and I realize now that nothing's going to change it -- he'll always believe that we're writing reviews for the benefit of manufacturers, not readers. So be it. The problem is that there are many instances where this DOES happen in various industries, so it's easy to paint everyone in publishing with a broad stroke. But I think you'll find that the truly successful magazines are the ones who work to maintain credibility, because without it, you don't have readers...and without readers, you don't have advertisers. The conspiracy theorists fail to recognize that: we HAVE to serve the readers if we want to survive long-term.[/b] Absolutely. Incidentally, I hadn’t read that thread when I responded, so I thought your reaction was entirely based on my comment about Paul, hence my misunderstanding. To offer another unsolicited opinion, at my own peril, I don’t think that unsubstantiated criticism about EQ in this forum necessarily harms EQ. It is commendable that you defend EQ honestly and vigorously, but even without that, I think that readers of the forum put these sorts of comments in perspective. Just look at the DUC – there is a veritable cottage industry of “Allsihad”-haters who regularly post false criticism about ProTools. Occasionally, a moderator will set the record straight, but other participants typically engage in debate, and the truth tends to emerge (e.g. genuine problems with the last generation mixbus, or false claims of bass reduction in current generation hardware). In turn, the DUC is stronger, IMHO, for tolerating its rather extensive community of trolls. [b] BTW your comments are generally on the mark, perceptive, and well-balanced so I must also admit to being disappointed that you strayed from your usual straight and narrow path .[/b] This is where I must disagree without caveat. I simply cannot condone your characterization of my comments as "generally on the mark, perceptive, and well-balanced" when I have so clearly demonstrated that they are anything but. That you would write such a blatant untruth regarding my biased and ignorant quips could only mean that some minion on Team Brittanylips has clearly infiltrated the SSS at its core, and that payments have been received. :) BTW, your smile gives me fond nostalgia for the CompuServe MIDI and recording forum. -Peace, Love, and Brittanylips