Marketing Folks, Your Attention Please!

[Mr.Tweak]

[Beefy]

I agree totally....

Mikhailtech had something to say about this recently too.. Here's a couple links:

<a href="http://www.mikhailtech.com/articles/editorials/hardwaresites/" target="_blank">Article part 1</a>
<a href="http://www.mikhailtech.com/articles/editorials/hardwaresites2/" target="_blank">Article part 2</a>
<a href="http://forums.mikhailtech.com/showthread.php?threadid=814" target="_blank">Forum Discussion</a>

It's all a very good read, though at times a bit long. But it's exactly what is happening today.

[Wiggo]

They make it hard for those who do the right thing.

[Morgan_Lander]

I'm having a hard time getting a response from any company, let alone any products. I like buying computer parts, but gee whiz, the stuff is gonna cost ya just to do a decent amount of reviews.

What really gets me is the sites that pop up and don't even write their own articles---they plagurize. Like HardWaves. They have ripped articles off Tom's Hardware Guide, T-break, and Planet Hardware. I would be mad as hell if someone did that to my stuff. That is a lot of work, and I'll be dammed if someone takes credit for what I did.

[Albinus]

What really gets me is the sites that pop up and don't even write their own articles---they plagurize.

This is what really bugs me as well ML - too many "writers" seem to lack the language skills these days, and just copy (as we have seen by the blatant ripoffs of this site *cough* TweakStation *cough*

Worse still, some copy and "mix" a few seperate reviews, to get their "own" work - this is just as bad, and unfortunately quite legal in several countries (you only have to change the content by 33% in Australia to claim it's your copyright). This needs to be stopped.



[B]

I would be mad as hell if someone did that to my stuff. That is a lot of work, and I'll be dammed if someone takes credit for what I did.

Indeed - I found a site the other week that had posted verbatim one of Osiris' articles, I forwarded the address to Darthtanion. Even though I am not officially related with this site any more, I loathe plagurism with a venegance - plagurisers must be crushed! :hammer:

[Wiggo]

Yep they're just as bad as the other.

[SoniCruiser]

Hey all,

I do understand where everyone's coming from, but I just think with what Mr Tweak had said, it sort of "destroys" all the efforts done by those small percentage of hard workers out there who are trying to put up a new "real" tech web site, which is already hard enough, not for the free hardware, but for the "love" of them.

If today, some guy who knows a lot and love computer hardwares, tries to set up a new web site as a place for his own enjoyment and of course others, and finds himself in a situation where no manufacturers are willing to give, JUST BECAUSE IT'S A NEW WEB SITE. But I mean, how can he even start it if he's not going to get anything to review, test?

To sum up, what I am saying is that manufacturers don't have to give, but if they are giving it to the big names, don't you think they should give the new comers a go as well, and if they aren't coming from the right intention, (bad reviews, couple of setences, just to get the hardware), then say no to them.

Give them a go!

[Andy]

But I mean, how can he even start it if he's not going to get anything to review, test?

he can do reviews of hardware in his own computer, or he can go out any buy a product to review, or he could write up some articles

[Beefy]

what I am saying is that manufacturers don't have to give, but if they are giving it to the big names, don't you think they should give the new comers a go as well, and if they aren't coming from the right intention, (bad reviews, couple of setences, just to get the hardware), then say no to them.

Give them a go!

How do you know what the intention of the person is though? If someone is genuinely serious about making a site, then they will find ways, other than the companies, to get products to review.

[SoniCruiser]

ok, so how many reviews do you think they should do before asking?

[Mr.Tweak]

10 at the very least

[Beefy]

i'd say at least 7... and they should be quality reviews too...

[SoniCruiser]

well, fair enough!

good luck to the hard workers, and hope to see
some more of those quality sites!

[zeradul]

We urge companies to pay more attention before shipping out hardware to newly formed hardware sites.

ONCE AGAIN! GOOGLE TO THE RESCUE.

If the hardware manufacturer's go read up on how google pagerank works, and then install the google toolbar, There you have a 100% Accurate method of detecting the HISTORY and REPUTATION of the site.

http://www.google.com/technology/

edit: And then I suggest that the page have at least a 5 or a 6. Both fairly difficult ranks to earn.