Bit-tech threatened to ban me!!

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

This is funny!!

So I saw how Bit-tech had ended their GTX660 review:

"It seems baffling that, despite what feels like a small army of SKUs, AMD doesn’t have a price-point competitor for the GTX 660 2GB. The HD 7850 2GB is 10-15 per cent slower but 10 per cent cheaper at £160, while the HD 7870 2GB is, on average, seven per cent faster but 20 per cent dearer at £220."


So what did I do?? I made two posts in the comments section,showing dozens of HD7870 cards for around £180 to £200!! 25 at the last count.

What did they do??

Started modifying my posts to reduce the number of links,deleted my comments and then said the following:

"Hello CAT-THE-FIFTH

As per my comment in the GTX 660 forum thread, it would be greatly appreciated if you could stop spamming sales links into the thread. You have made your point and I have responded in kind.

If you continue to edit in additional links or add similar posts, I'll be forced to act further. Consider this your warning.

Hope you understand, but such actions are a little childish.

Regards

Baz"

[Terbinator]

Lol - sounds about right for that cretin riddled place.

You have made your point and I have responded in kind.

How did he respond? By threatening you?

I wouldn't mind but £220 will net you a 7950.

[Bluecube]

Naughty man. Smack on the wrists for daring to prove the almighty editorial staff wrong!

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

PMed the chap again and said it was a poor show TBH.

Got the following answer:
"Hi CAT-THE-FIFTH

Sorry you're upset. I've left your original post, as well as your subsequent post, intact and in the thread. I've no problem with constructive criticism, and it's certainly a fair point that there are cheaper HD 7870s out there; a point I've conceded in the thread.

Not sure how I'm covering up your point; just policing the forum rules regarding spam. If you're unhappy about it then there's not much I can do. We expect forum members to act in a mature and responsible way, something that, I think you'll agree, doesn't include dropping 30+ sales links into a thread to reiterate a point which you've already made.

Hope you understand.

Regards

Baz "

So basically,just because I linked to loads of cheaper cards and MANY not on special offer(which he was trying to say that many of the HD7870 cards were cheaper as a result),he says it is childish!! Or is because,readers will read the comments and then find every single major retailer has sub £200 HD7870 cards for sale? That is what my post actually show - around 10 retailers.

Is the review or CPC version going to be amended?? Probably not!!

So basically the unwashed masses will read the review and think the HD7870 is poor value.

[Domestic_Ginger]

Have some + to cheer you up. 30 links. hehe

[pp05]

Cat did you put all your links in one post or each of the links in separate comments ?

[Agent]

just policing the forum rules regarding spam.

Spam? He's redefined the term spam to mean something he doesn't like? .

You've not seen spam until you've been an admin on a VBB3 forum without any anti-spam plug-ins.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Cat did you put all your links in one post or each of the links in separate comments ?

Initially a second post,after he said that they were on special offer only,so I replied to that to say the prices were being distorted a bit and added more links. Well that got deleted which was funny as it proved it was not correct what he said. Then I put them into the first post to see what would happen and that got edited down to a lower number. So I responded back in the thread saying they were just pushing up the HD7870 price,which was distorting the figures!! 25 cards is not a small number for around £180 to £200!!

They deleted that too!!

Also,there was a few times for example,I can remember once when they linked to the wrong GTX460(the SE version) in a review for a price link. I mentioned that and they corrected it(never said anything to me) within minutes.

What is the chance they will do this for this review??

If they do this is the next day or so,that would be great,but I am not holding my breath!!

[TheAnimus]

Pfft it doesn't count until they actually ban you!

I got in a world of trouble after they sold out, and started with rather invasive adverts on the forum. I disliked that a lot as all the value of a forum is from the forum members content, it seems wrong to try and profiteer from that. Then they did a stupid review on the vista installer pre-release, which wasn't valid, because MS had already stated there was a new installer coming out. So they reviewed the old, temporary one instead. They have strange agendas......

[GeorgeStorm]

I think the correct way to deal with it would have been to simply post saying there are lots of 7870 cards available, then post an example maybe.

Don't get why people don't like it? Found it perfectly friendly?

[Ferral]

Now wheres my edit button and control panel to hand out infractions, warnings & bans !!!!

rofl

You know we wouldn't do that to our members unless it really needed to be done. Most cases we can just give someone a shout and they are happy with any requests we make when it comes to editing their posts etc

Seems a bit OTT what they have done in all honesty (must be their policy on links etc), nothing wrong with letting people know of alternatives and price points. Its not like you are just throwing random numbers and prices out, you are taking the time to look into stuff before posting.

You know HEXUS loves you Cat

[Agent]

Don't get why people don't like it? Found it perfectly friendly?

Censorship and editing of replies to editorial is considered extremely unprofessional, certainly when you've just conceded a point a reader has just made.

If it's done to a post that was polite and valid, it makes you question what's being done to posts that are more critical.

I was a mod/admin on these forums for close to 10 years (maybe over actually) and not once have I seen a readers comment be edited, even when they we're being utter arses.
You either reply to it, let the community point alternative views out, or if it's a blatant troll - ignore it.

Integrity is everything. You break it once and you'll be chasing it forever.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I think the correct way to deal with it would have been to simply post saying there are lots of 7870 cards available, then post an example maybe.

Don't get why people don't like it? Found it perfectly friendly?

This is not the first time I have pointed out problems in their reviews. Its either links to the wrong cards when they talk about prices or wonky pricing for certain cards. However,the only time I can remember they actually changed anything is when I told them they had linked to a GTX460SE instead of a GTX460.

Anyway, at his reply! "special offer" which indicates normal RRP would be much higher which is a lie. The other links I posted in the second post were to sites like Amazon and Dabs for example,25 of them and OcUK and Aria has had good pricing on the HD7870 for a while.

I told him they were distorting the prices,which is true.Its not one or two cards but dozens!

One link would have been met,by "its only a one-off offer" or some other weird response.

Look at the HD7850 and HD7870 reviews for example:

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/201...-hd-7850-2gb/7

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/201...0-2gb-review/1

No rating after 6 months still!

You want to look at more nonsense from them:

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpu...-2100-review/4

A Core i3 2100 is faster than a Phenom II X4 980BE in HandBrake??

Reality:

http://forums.hexus.net/pc-hardware/...ded-power.html

After 6 months they still have not given them a score.

It would be great if they changed the review summary to include the cheaper HD7870 cards,but we will wait and see.

[Willzzz]

But you approve of HardwareCanucks conclusion right?

"Against AMD’s cards the GTX 660 is almost untouchable from a value standpoint, particularly when using a 1920 x 1080 or 1920 x 1200 display. At those resolutions, it runs dead even with the more expensive HD 7870 and significantly outpaces the 10% cheaper HD 7850."

Because they, sensibly, didn't mention an actual price for the 7870.

Perhaps the bit-tech guy shops at Scan where even the own brand 7870 is £220. (Obviously no one would touch the XFX models!)

But yes you were perfectly right to point out his mistake, maybe you didn't need 25+ examples heh

http://www.box.co.uk/Gigabyte_GV-R78...r_1197136.html
Now this one looks OK to me

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

But you approve of HardwareCanucks conclusion right?

"Against AMD’s cards the GTX 660 is almost untouchable from a value standpoint, particularly when using a 1920 x 1080 or 1920 x 1200 display. At those resolutions, it runs dead even with the more expensive HD 7870 and significantly outpaces the 10% cheaper HD 7850."

Because they, sensibly, didn't mention an actual price for the 7870.

Canadian pricing.

[Willzzz]

Well yeah, I am actually pretty tempted by that 7870 I linked, anyone know if box.co.uk are any good?

Or indeed any of these nice cheap 7870s?
http://www.google.co.uk/products/cat...ng=tps|start=0