I'd like to apologize to Michael Reichmann and Sean Reid. Michael and Sean were upset that I "featured" Howard French's comment in the "Leica M9 Links" post.
The reason I linked to all of those reviews is that I was recommending them to our readers. If I personally believed that any of them were untrustworthy or compromised in any way, I wouldn't have mentioned them.
I shouldn't have made light of it, with that "Snidely Whiplash" bit (I was kind of on a comic "kick" that day, as you can see from Scrooge McDuck) and in my reply to Howard. I did feel the latter was a bit of a shot...but at Leica, not at Michael or Sean. Both of my actions seem inappropriate in retrospect. I can only say in self defense that I didn't anticipate what happened. Especially after receiving a cordial comment from Erwin Puts, whose review I also linked.
I'd like to thank both Howard and Erwin for their comments. Both have great expertise and knowledge and outstanding credentials, and I have great respect for them both. Newer readers might not know this, but Erwin and I have disagreed and argued in the past; that doesn't stop me from linking to his work or letting him have his say here.
For the record, I often publish comments, and "feature" comments, and publish whole posts that I don't necessarily agree with. Some I do, some I don't. But it doesn't matter. In all cases, when someone else is seen speaking on my site, they are speaking for themselves, not as some sort of sneaky simulacrum of my own views. If I have something to say, trust me, I'll say it myself.
Still, I'm the editor, and the buck stops here.
I'd also like to thank John Camp for his post. Obviously, as many of you pointed out, his post also directly disagrees with things I've written in the past. But, as with Howard, I felt his perspective and insights were interesting, and valid, and might be useful, and that you'd enjoy reading them.
My intent was never to make anyone angry, though, and I am sorry.
Mike
UPDATE: Michael has accepted my apology and the two of us consider this matter between us closed. Sean and I have worked together to resolve our differences, so we're good.
