First of all, my post was not aimed at you, if it was, I would have addressed it as such, but your posting history is pretty prolific, so go ahead and take credit for it if you feel it is all about you..
But more importantly is that with the internet, companies are actually having to spend money on watchdogs that keep an eye out for errant information by arm chair experts who have no credentials, no basis for saying the things they do.
I was on a shoot two weeks ago, I was using my 6x6 Hasselblad camera and shooting black and white. One of the hired hands who was a photo enthusiast was surprised by me using a camera he was sure there was no film for anymore.
When I asked him why he thought that, he smiled with embarrassment and said, "OK, I feel like and idiot now, but I read it on one of the photo web sites."
So I then asked him who wrote the article. He replied, "It was not an article, some forum member who seemed like he knew a lot wrote it."
I shook my head...
When this kind of thing happens...on the F___ing internet, it is DAMAGING to the industry and the public perception of it.
When a person who is a prolific internet junkie makes post after post about what they think they know and they have *zero* credibility in the industry, this DAMAGES the perception of the industry for everyone and is hard to combat.
One of the major photo suppliers is flying my out to their facility in a week or so, under strict NDA of course. Aside from the reasons that I am going there for, I am going to try to address this problem of how do we as professionals in the industry combat what the arm chair idiots keep filling the internet with?
Because I am DAMN sick of it as they are too I would imagine..
Discussion forums are for discussion. No one has to prove their bona fides to have an opinion and to state it. As in most things, one need not be an artist to talk knowledgeably about art, a gourmet chef to talk about cooking, a race car driver to have something useful and interesting to say about racing.
In fact, I don't know of any professional movie critics who are also great actors or well-known directors, and many of the best writers on photographic subjects are hardly masters of their craft. I know a few dentists who can go on at length about the various differences between Leica accessories, but they don't have any gallery openings anytime soon. In short, there is a difference between being an artist and being qualified to speak on a subject.
We've had this discussion before too on RFF. Some new person shows up, and before they will engage in any debate, they announce their credentials, and demand to see photographic examples of expertise from anyone they argue with - else they pronounce their opponent unfit to talk to. If you can't beat the argument, go after the writer. It's called 'ad hominem' and it's really rather boorish and childish.
