Even a creature from outer space should know you can't buy a good review on HEXUS

[Steve B]

and points 3 and 5 happened at once...

[floppybootstomp]

First of all, well done Hexus for not taking a backhander.

Anybody half-sussed with computers can look at the spec of Alenware machines and figure out that £500.00 of their budget is basically going on a flash case.

I'd say that almost all computer magazines on sale at Newsagents are telling lies to gain advertising revenue - who can you trust?

However, and this is my main point, I was reading the article, nodding and agreeing with Hexus, when the writer chose to offer up a Mesh System as an alternative.

Mesh? Are you sure? Do a Google for 'Mesh Problems' or similar and just take a look. Go on.

Shoddy product, non-existent backup.

Alienware may be overpriced but I'd wager that their machines work and Dell supply some backup, though I must confess I don't know much about Dell at all.

I wouldn't buy either a Dell, Mesh or Alienware machine myself.

Anyway, again, kudos to Hexus for retaining integrity but please offer a better alternative than Mesh, cos that really makes me wonder, ya know? Makes me start to look between the lines.....

[alterion]

anyone think its funny that pretty much every single person defending alienware here has a stupidly low post count almost as if they wern't bothered about hexus before? It seems to me that the hexus readership here feel that the article clearly exposes something that needed to be said in an engaging and intersting manner you can call it ground for libel if you like although hexus would appear to have a much stronger case here from my IANAL position.. most people tend to call it good journalism.

[geo]

"fair cop guv"

[dave87]

Your point about Mesh is one that is often raised, and there is a common response.

In your view of human nature, do people go out of their way to complement a product/company when everything goes as expected? Of course they don't. Also, do Dell have public support forums (for the UK at least) which aren't heavily moderated? Nope, and as such, the full and frank contents of the Mesh support forum should be respected, rather than derided. It is human nature that people will complain when something goes wrong (and quite rightly so) but very few take the time to offer constructive posts about the good service they have recieved. Such is life.

Dave

[ronsavoy]

point 4 didn't happen though did it

What do you call this email from Tarinder then:

"Hi all,

As you know, G80 is pretty much upon us.

We’re very keen to showcase the power of the card(s) with a turnkey system from Alienware.

We’d love to have a SKU which we can review and activate on launch day, to coincide with NVIDIA’s release.

I anticipate that a G80-based Alienware machine will have massive review impact.

Can you help?"

Sounds like asking to me!

[Gr44]

I'm not surprised by this atall.

I also think for the most part it's good hexus has done _something_ about it. Though I'm not sure if making it public so quickly was a completely fair thing to do if I'm honest...

I feel sorry for the guy working in Alienware, he will obviously lose his job over something that isn't actually his fault - rather managements way of training and using it's staff.

He was naive to say the least to reply with such bluntness and certainly a liability. However, everyone says things withoug thinking or realizing the full reactions.

All I'm saying is I think I'd have tried a little harder to get 'through' to them and maybe get some more information on the matter first. But - not a dig at you guys at all, it certainly gives you more credability and points a nasty finger at Alienware. Hopefully the reaction of this in the long run will be better products for the average consumer, espically if other review sites try and 'compete' with your re-newed honesty.

Keep it up.

[Steve B]

true, my chronology was wrong, point taken

[ronsavoy]

anyone think its funny that pretty much every single person defending alienware here has a stupidly low post count almost as if they wern't bothered about hexus before? It seems to me that the hexus readership here feel that the article clearly exposes something that needed to be said in an engaging and intersting manner you can call it ground for libel if you like although hexus would appear to have a much stronger case here from my IANAL position.. most people tend to call it good journalism.

I guess you're talking about me - I am pleading guilty to a low post count, I got here from Slashdot, never heard of Hexus before.

But I see you didn't actually disagree with any of the points I made though. Argumentum ad hominem?

[TheAnimus]

guys, you know how much i love hexus, and also i think with the issue your on the moral high ground. I hope DR knows the respect i have for the review site he's emmased, but publishing personal emails is always one foot in the gutter.

Personally i think would feal to bring this news to the public face, but that said publishing communications is always a worry.

I trust because i'm used to the result of the hexus teams effort, so i trust they did not take the decision lightly, but i think that such considerations could of been better convayed in the artical.

[floppybootstomp]

Your point about Mesh is one that is often raised, and there is a common response.

In your view of human nature, do people go out of their way to complement a product/company when everything goes as expected? Of course they don't. Also, do Dell have public support forums (for the UK at least) which aren't heavily moderated? Nope, and as such, the full and frank contents of the Mesh support forum should be respected, rather than derided. It is human nature that people will complain when something goes wrong (and quite rightly so) but very few take the time to offer constructive posts about the good service they have recieved. Such is life.

Dave

I am assuming you're referring to my last post.

I haven't posted here for some time but I look in occasionally and receive your newsletters, this issue prompted me to reply.

I frequent another UK Computer forum where there are reams of stories about Mesh. I do believe around 5% of them may be positive.

I haven't even looked at your Mesh support section here at this forum but I'll be frank and say that when it first appeared it was one of the reasons I stopped visiting here frequently.

It made me wonder, frankly.

But perhaps I should look at it before commenting further That would be only fair.

[hatsumi]

Who in their right mind lays out cash for Alienware anyway? You can build your own similar or better specced machine at a fraction of the cost. You are paying a premium for a garish case design.

[yamangman]

guys, you know how much i love hexus, and also i think with the issue your on the moral high ground. I hope DR knows the respect i have for the review site he's emmased, but publishing personal emails is always one foot in the gutter.

Personally i think would feal to bring this news to the public face, but that said publishing communications is always a worry.

I trust because i'm used to the result of the hexus teams effort, so i trust they did not take the decision lightly, but i think that such considerations could of been better convayed in the artical.

I agree. Pretty much what I said.

[Jagular]

I followed this here from slashdot, & have to say my opinion of hexus has gone downhill since reading the article.

(My itallics)

Alienware had been assuming we'd be giving the system a glowing review - irrespective of its quality, features and price.

How can we be so sure? Well, the company told us so. And it's not simply that it said it expected this of us, it told us it expects it of every publication around the world to which it sends review product!

And that means, in effect, it's saying that every positive review of an Alienware product that the company supplied could be corrupt and totally untrustworthy - and, by inference, so might the site or magazine that published it.

Well, that's a conclusion that needs a pole vault to leap to. I'm sure if I had a product I believed in & felt good about selling, I'd assume I'd be getting good reviews for it.


<snip first email>
He (like all of us) interpreted it to mean that Alienware was demanding that we lie about Alienware's products in future reviews and that the company was surprised that we hadn't lied in our review of the Area-51 7500 system.

so, let me get this straight:

• Alienware send you a machine for review
• Mat's bosses aren't that pleased at the lukewarm review. (No surprise there, surely?) Boss probably overreacts (remember the US has more of a hire & fire culture than the UK)
• Mat says that he'd be unlikeley to GIVE you the same machine for review again, due to the anticipation of a poor review. Basically he'd be giving his boss an excuse to fire him, remember he works in m.a.r.k.e.t.i.n.g. (hey I can quote wikipedia too!) and is job is to get his companies products favourable placements? Maybee even Alienware is considering changing the SKU in light of the review? Dunno, this is unstated, but possible.
• Mat says you're probably better off reviewing something else. (The problem being...?)

I'm sorry, but I can't for the live of me see "corrupt" and "demanding we lie" in this exchange. I see someone doing their job. As another poster commented, you're straying (and I use the word advisedly) into libelous territory here.


Paul Dutton's respose
… the only inference which can be made from this is that ‘Alienware’ will only submit products to publications which will write nice things about ‘Alienware’.

The only inference there is Paul's. And do you really expect the marketing departments of companies to send you there products for review with the full knowledge that they will be panned?

"oh yeah, here's our system - it's a bit crap by the way, you may want to quote me in the review on that".

... Don't think so. I'd sack that employee, not the one who wouldn't send you a poorly reviewed system for a second time.


but I'd like to think that what Bettison says Alienware has done - and is doing - is illegal.

Absolute claptrap. They're lending systems (or not) for review. What gives you the right to demand sample products from companies?

Any web sites, print publications and journalists responsible for corrupt reviews should also be held to account.

You're starting to crusade now, calm down. If you're intent was to use this article to portray Hexus as a whiter than white mature jounalistic establishment then you've sorely failed. This piece just comes accross as an incredibly juvenile & poorly thought through rant against someone doing their job. The cynical might sau a slashdoted traffic generating exersise.

I'm shocked and apalled. Not at Alienware, but at Hexus.

[R.a. Systems]

Long time reader, first time poster...

"...you have behaved like a moron." and "...you are little more than a foolish liability."

Outing Alienware for having "questionable" marketing practices is one thing. You take it a step too far by publicising the e-mails with personal attacks on an employee that is following company policy, seems childish. There are no winners here.

What % of the hexus community actually even considers an Alienware machine? I didn't want one before, I don't want one now; not because of you telling on them, because they are overpriced.

So while a handful of people may stop buying Alienware because of your postings regarding their business morals, I am having a hard time ignoring the childish, immature and "questionable" response Hexus has come up with.

I'll come back now and again, but for now you're officially off my links tab...

Like I said, no winners here...

[TheAnimus]

do you really expect the marketing departments of companies to send you there products for review with the full knowledge that they will be panned?

"oh yeah, here's our system - it's a bit crap by the way, you may want to quote me in the review on that".

I got banned from bit-tech (another UK based review site) for complaining about how the editorial changed a few too many times. So despite my high post count here, i don't give any aligence to them.

OF COURSE YOU DO!

The marketing department can't say "we have a bad product, best not tell anyone about it". I guess it depends what you think of hexus, lets say the cost of shipping and reshelfing the computer is £200.

How much advertising does £200 get you compared to what a "yes this is expensive, but still ok" a site like hexus, not nearly as much. I work with lots of people who the notion of paying £500 for something to look good is pocket money, when a superiour heard i'd been the victim of credit card fraud, and had my visa account locked, he gave me £100 without even thinkign (he had about £500 on him) because it would be a waste for me to not go out friday night. A review like the one hexus gave was fair i think, and would not turn people like that away, because they have too much money, but it might even draw their attention to it.

Now as such its expected for firms to take the rough with the smooth, if you've got a bad product, its probably still going to sell (iPod for instance).

Not say if you review us fairly, but don't obviously say something that will massivly increase our sales, we won't send you things to review again. That is just wrong.