Members Anderton Posted July 17, 2015 Members Share Posted July 17, 2015 Pro Reviews (although the name is under review) will be returning before too long. The existing ones will be archived. To allay some people's concerns as expressed previously in this forum, I can add the following at the beginning of each Pro Review to supplement the existing FAQ sticky at the top of the forums. Pro Reviews provide a place for a long-form, open-ended discussion about products where everyone is invited to participate and offer their opinions. Neither the moderator(s) nor participants are compensated by the manufacturer. The manufacturer pays an upfront fee to Harmony Central's parent company to cover hosting costs. If someone affiliated with the manufacturer posts in the thread, they must note that affiliation. For more information, please read the FAQ at the top of this forum. The reason this came about is because someone cited FTC regulation 16 CFR Part 255.5, which relates to situations where an endorser or seller of an advertised product (or in a 2013 interpretation, a blogger) receives compensation from a manufacturer for content. Additional regulations relate to content under the aegis of a manufacturer or endorser (e.g., advertorials, sponsored content, infomercials, etc.). As neither situation relates to pro reviews, no disclaimer is necessary.However, if people automatically assume something unethical is going on, then I suppose it's necessary to assume they're not going to read the FAQ, and therefore something has to be put in every thread that explains the reality of the situation. The only addition I'm considering is insisting that if someone is affiliated with a manufacturer whose products compete with the product being reviewed, they need to note that affiliation as well. There was one pro review where the extremely negative tone of one poster, who often mentioned a competing product and only that one competing product, raised suspicion. But that could also be left for the FAQ to avoid making the disclaimer any longer. Does anyone still have a problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AlamoJoe Posted July 18, 2015 Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 Lol...The only problem I've ever had is that many, many times I've wanted to compliment the authors of these reviews, or maybe had 1 question about the product...But everytime I go to post a comment, it makes me log in, and then doesn't post my comment anyway.I went so far as to go to the privy and gargle for 2 minutes with Listerine, and still it won't post my comments. Lot of the time I just want to say, "Hey, cool article!". Surely that isn't offensive? Is there some protocol I'm missing?I love reading the reviews...Even about things I have no intention of purchasing.Would like to post some comments sometimes though. Even review writers need affirmation that their stuff is getting read by members of the Great and Unwashed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted July 18, 2015 Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 Pro Reviews (although the name is under review) will be returning before too long. The existing ones will be archived. To allay some people's concerns as expressed previously in this forum, I can add the following at the beginning of each Pro Review to supplement the existing FAQ sticky at the top of the forums. Pro Reviews provide a place for a long-form, open-ended discussion about products where everyone is invited to participate and offer their opinions. Neither the moderator(s) nor participants are compensated by the manufacturer. The manufacturer pays an upfront fee to Harmony Central's parent company to cover hosting costs. If someone affiliated with the manufacturer posts in the thread, they must note that affiliation. For more information, please read the FAQ at the top of this forum. The reason this came about is because someone cited FTC regulation 16 CFR Part 255.5, which relates to situations where an endorser or seller of an advertised product (or in a 2013 interpretation, a blogger) receives compensation from a manufacturer for content. Additional regulations relate to content under the aegis of a manufacturer or endorser (e.g., advertorials, sponsored content, infomercials, etc.). As neither situation relates to pro reviews, no disclaimer is necessary.However, if people automatically assume something unethical is going on, then I suppose it's necessary to assume they're not going to read the FAQ, and therefore something has to be put in every thread that explains the reality of the situation. The only addition I'm considering is insisting that if someone is affiliated with a manufacturer whose products compete with the product being reviewed, they need to note that affiliation as well. There was one pro review where the extremely negative tone of one poster, who often mentioned a competing product and only that one competing product, raised suspicion. But that could also be left for the FAQ to avoid making the disclaimer any longer. Does anyone still have a problem? The "Amateur Review"... The "Professional Review"... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HVZKqHRwW0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Luke17 Posted July 18, 2015 Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 Seems to me I recently saw that first review, Honest and forthright with a great delivery by the reviewer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted July 18, 2015 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 Ernest, I realize you say you don't read pro reviews so you're probably not aware of how pro reviews work, but the whole point of the pro review is that everyone, including people like Mr. WTF in the "amateur" review, users, manufacturers, potential users, and professionals, have a platform to voice their opinions. EVERYONE. The "Pro" is the person moderating the discussion, taking the photos, creating sound examples, deleting the spam, and pinging the manufacturer to respond to comments (FYI comments are deleted or edited only if they violate the site's TOS. No negative or positive opinions are censored.) The "amateur" reviewer simply saying "WTF" over and over again and saying he doesn't like the sounds doesn't tell me much. If you're open-minded enough to consider a negative review from a professional where you can actually learn something substantive about the unit, read what Peter Kirn says about it, which is far more eloquent and actually helps you understand exactly how and why it's lacking. (FYI the video you cite as "professional" is labeled as a demo, not a review.) Also, don't necessarily assume that someone negative has the truth and someone positive doesn't. The positive person may have read the manual Also sound is subjective. Both keyed in on the sucky resonance, but the "professional" mentioned a really important negative (no editable decay on the open hi-hat) that I don't recall Mr. WTF mentioning. That would be the deal-breaker for me, not that some guy sitting in his bedroom doesn't like the kick drum. A pro review presents a variety of opinions from anyone who wants to participate, so people with open minds can make up their own minds. I seriously cannot understand how anyone (except someone suffering from the "Gearslutz syndrome" of offering opinions on things they haven't actually experienced) could have a problem with that. In any event, I really wish you would stop assuming that all reviewers, pro and amateur, adhere to the same standards. Peter Kirn wipes the floor with both of the reviews you cited. Then again, he really is a professional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted July 18, 2015 Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 Craig, I`m just being a BB. Got your attention! Now, did you get my text message the other day? Please PM me or text me back…. if you have a contact #. Thanks mate,EB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted July 18, 2015 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 PM me, you'll have better luck than with a text message. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author MikeRivers Posted July 19, 2015 CMS Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 So . . . Can I interest you in my 35 page review of the TASCAM DR-44WL? At that length, it's gotta be pro. This was one I'd really love to have been able to write interactively. I know what's important to me, but there are some things that might or might not be important to others who might become users. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted July 19, 2015 Members Share Posted July 19, 2015 PM me, you'll have better luck than with a text message. Craig, Check your AOL email. EB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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