Policies
I favor transparency, so that readers can evaluate my biases for themselves. As such, there are a few policies about freebies, review copies, editorial loans and the like.
1) In general, I only review things that I like. The market kills off poor products, weak ideas, and lousy books in its own efficient way. Why spend time writing about something that misses the mark? The exception? If it is a product or item from a market leader (that is, people will likely buy it on the basis of its name or maker), then I may comment if it fails to meet expectations. So if Microsoft sends me one of those nifty Ferrari laptops with Vista on it, I would have to write about the many ways Vista disappoints.
2) I accept unsolicited free stuff, but it doesn’t guarantee I’ll review or even mention it. If I do, I will disclose that I got it for free.
3) Occasionally, I will request a review copy or editorial loaner. If I do, I’ll acknowledge that I solicited it and the conditions under which I received it. If I ask for a review copy/loaner/sample, my intent is to give it a review, or to comment on its utility, design, usability, or other characteristics. The exception? If what I requested really, really sucks, it is subject to policy rule 1, above1.
4) While I love the First Amendment, I am not the government, nor confused by its applicability to public discourse. I therefore reserve the right to moderate and edit the comments to this website, including deleting comments that are stupid, hateful, offensive, defamatory, off-topic or inane. Too draconian for you? Start your own damn website.
5) I respect the desire for private communication. If you email me a question or comment, I will ask for your permission to use it on the site. If you put it in the comments, I will treat it as a public statement.
Footnotes