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

[Bob Crabtree]

We recently had a reaction to a review that was new to us.

A company that was unable to find genuine fault, told us that we won't be receiving any more product for testing unless future reviews can be guaranteed to be more favourable than the last one.

So what is our response to this astonishing threat?

Well, we're naming names!

Find out who the company is - and it's a big'un - in this HEXUS.opinions piece.

And do please share your thoughts and own own outrage with us here.

STOP PRESS! Just to update everyone... STOP PRESS!

Brian M. Joyce, Senior Vice President Alienware Europe got in touch and click this link to find out what he had to say.

[Steve]

My personal view is that if a company wants a good review, they should put their efforts into engineering a good product.

Makes too much sense, I guess.

[kempez]

My personal view is that if a company wants a good review, they should put their efforts into engineering a good product.

Makes too much sense, I guess.

Totally agreed. I've never had a "rider" on a review, but it seems that a whole lot of companies really want good reviews or nothing.

Same as you I believe in honestly reviewing a product for it's worth, rather than in the intention to get another product.

[MD]

It doesn't surprise me that this happened - the amount of reviews lately where I have seen and used hardware that other sites have reviewed which I know is either awful or has critical flaws received glowing reviews.

It just so happened that same glowing review was topped with a banner ad from the manufacturer.

We have to get this corruption out of the general review market - we at HEXUS are honest and truthful - always have been, always will be.

Matt.

[s1lv3r]

It's a very long time since I ventured into the forums here, but this story has raised my hackles somewhat.
I'm not naive enough to suppose that it hasn't happened or doesn't elsewhere, but I was definately surprised to hear this from the parties involved.

I must admit, I was one of those secretly hoping the Dell acquisition would mean a new line of top spec but more reasonably priced large volume systems.
As someone who likes to build his own customised setup, I would never have touched an Alienware system purely on the cost analysis, despite having first hand experience of them and their admittedly very desirable styling and build quality.

Thouroughly disappointed in the unprofessional attitude and lack of ethics that seem to be exhibited on the surface, I just hope this doesn't go any further towards the core of the business.

[Syn]

The worse thing about this is that the guy thats emailing you is getting pressure from his execs and i bet you hes going to be only one that goes down for it.

Good Job Hexus, i am proud to be your member

[d3fiant]

This is obviously no suprise when large amounts of money are involved and a bad (even if honest) review can kill a product from an enthusiast point of view. However it seems that if anything can be taken from this bad situation it is simply watch what you put in an email. I can understand why it pissed off the Hexus staffers, however the blatent public airing, mainly regarding the copies of emails may put other manufacturers off Hexus. I have long trusted Hexus and I sincerely hope this does not have a knock on effect, nor would I ever condone or expect you simply to put up with it...ok Im just rambling....basically its a bad situation that I hope does not effect what goes on here at Hexus in the future. My feelings are that Alienware lost its way in the enthusiast market a long time ago and this may have just been an oppertunity to ignore their unimportant ramblings and put it down to some idiot who is at risk of loosing his job

[chuckskull]

My personal view is that if a company wants a good review, they should put their efforts into engineering a good product.

Makes too much sense, I guess.

Agreed. I also seem to remember one of their towers getting a thrashing too.The right2reply thread was particularly cruel.

Alienware just isn't as high end as they think they are anymore. Companies like Voodoo and Vadim are dumping the proverbial on them from a great height.

Their comments are completely out of order, I hope some heads roll.

[kempez]

I was actually thinking about this after an initial partial agreement. It seems a pretty weighty thing to do in an industry where a lot of things are based on trust. What you also have to remember is that different people have different approaches/views on certain products as well.

I think there is deffo some sort of breach of trust here as well..but mebbe that's just me? E-mails from/to a reviewers in box are private imo

[DeludedGuy]

Go Hexus!

I love this place.

[Barkotron]

Thanks for this article. I certainly appreciate being informed when it's discovered that reviews for a particular company can't be trusted.

Oh well. It's just one more company I don't have to include in my consideration when I look for a new laptop, I suppose. Thanks for narrowing down the field, Mr Bettison!

[JumpingJack]

Well, I will no longer be considering purchase of an Alienware product -- regarless of price points, quality, features or how glowing a review may be.

Your (Hexus.net) purpose to exist is to bring the unfiltered truth to the consumer, it is this philosophy that is necessary to bring about fair/good competition.

'First, it has to be understood that you can't buy a good HEXUS review - the product itself must earn it.'

and you have now just EARNED my loyal readership. And to answer your question, competing review sites do not bring this level of honesty forward.

Regards,
Jack

[Wiczy]

I'd like to say i'm surprised by Alienware's ( at least Mr. Bettison's ) position but i'm not.

Definately a little surpised by his writing it down in an email, but the whole " write good reviews or you don't get products " thing is no surprise whatsoever i'm afraid

[JumpingJack]

.....

We have to get this corruption out of the general review market - we at HEXUS are honest and truthful - always have been, always will be.

Matt.

AGREED!!!

How can we expect manufacturers to be held accountable for releasing inferior products? It is only through the power of the market that can drive the incentive to improve, without it the spirit and purpose of competition in the market place is circumvented.

From here --- I can say, if the product is not reviewed at Hexus then I am not buying it....

Jack

[Akutsito]

AGREED!!!
From here --- I can say, if the product is not reviewed at Hexus then I am not buying it....

Jack

Thats a bit too much dont you think?
There are some products that for one reason or another, will never hit Hexus HQ, they cant review everything

Its nice to see that Hexus its honest, i really liked the fact that you gave names in public, no matter what the consequences (spelling?) are...

I Wonder if @ our hardware community (not this one ), we have this kind of corruption also... i'll have to ask...

Greetings!

[Stoo]

Seems to sum things up quite nicely

Alienware: If you want a good review, have a good product - it's that simple - HEXUS will not lie to it's readership, especially when it's their money on the line.

HEXUS.staff: Good on you for sticking to your guns, but, don't forget - Accusing other websites of being corrupt and untrustworthy just because they don't reach the same conclusion as HEXUS is potentially libellous, and costly to HEXUS.

I presume there is now a disclaimer on the bottom of all HEXUS emails informing them that anything that is said in an email to HEXUS may be quoted verbatim or partially on HEXUS for public dissemination, if not, then it should be, and pronto.

Especially if the person sending the email to HEXUS has something like this at the bottom of their email:

This e-mail and any attachment contains information which is private and confidential and is
intended for the addressee only. If you are not an addressee, you are not authorised to read,
copy or use the e-mail or any attachment. If you have received this e-mail in error, please
notify the sender by return e-mail and then destroy it.

Don't forget - Dell has a much bigger legal budget than you do