Guys,
I think that Roy has hit the nail square on the head here. One, yes that was exactly my point about the EULA. Roy you said it quite nicely and tightly packaged too. Thanks.
Two, there is nothing like serious sensorship to quiet all good discussion. History is full of such examples. Let's keep this an open, positive and supportive place for the discussion and exchange of ideas.
But even I, the loud mouthed defender of civil liberties, see Bert's point too although I'm not sure I see too much of it. But I think the title of the thread with the "!" is what might have caught Bert's attention. I kind of had a small twinge of the same thought when I first saw the title, but not enough to say anything at the time.
And I think Vinny has a great perspective on this too. In many situation although I am brand loyal to a product or a company line, I still look at other products on the market and see if there are interesting designs and features that would make a nice addition to my brand or product of choice. And lastly, it is the competition of ideas that keep both sides in such a market honest and striving to improve. So a little conversation about what the other side is doing and how they are doing it is quite healthy too.
I am very particular about my brand and type of skates, they are not even manufactured anymore. I am seriously considering starting a company to pick up where the old company left off. I am a very strong supporter of Mopar brand ala Jeep and Dodge. But that doesn't stop me from looking at both the other major car and truck manufactures or the manny aftermarket companies that support those other brands for good ideas and what I might even be able to co-opt or adapt over for my rides and brand.
As a matter of fact in the old car hobby, Mopars have regularly been treated as the odd man out and number three. So we have regularly pushed and suggested that Mother Mopar needs to "get with it" and give us brand loyal folks similar advantages, technology and support. There was quite a long period of time when Mopar basically was completely out of the rear wheel drive, sport and muscle car side of thing. So our tech was very out dated and only now is really starting to catch up and surpass the other majors. And Mopar was always the type of company that was based on engineering and tech verses simply making cars that had mass appeal with little under the wheels or hood. That is why we Mopar heads are so brand loyal, it's not just blind faith like many brand-Xer's. So again, looking out, on to the other side of the fence seems very natural to me. We have similar discussions of "our" brand verses the other guys in these circles too.
I could bore you all with tech details of viscous coupler designs and failures in t-cases that were weak and many of us are now performing the swap the factory never offered as a proper option for the V-8 magnum based Grand Cherokees, but I think you can see the point. Keeping any eye out on all sides of an industry is just plain smart and in keeping with staying abreast of the changes in any given topic or field.
Look at it this way....Does anybody here think that Jon and his folks don't walk around the convention room floor to keep an eye open on the competition themselves? Do you think that they don't watch the other guys' advertising and marketing campaigns? Of course not, that would be so stupid. Macy's is watching Bloomingdales and visa versa. And so when looked at and approached in this manner and context I think such looking around is quite normal and healthy. But bert's idea of sort of respecting AC and Jon within certain limits here on this board is also worthy of consideration.
There did this sports official handle all the discord here in a diplomatic enough fashion???
