Originally posted by Kunzite Enthusiasm? Like enthusiastically saying he should be fired? Because this forum is full of armchair experts, and each of them would do a so much better job? Yeah, I can see this forum as being very friendly, and welcoming him.
Ned was almost (virtually) lynched when he dared to like a non-Pentax camera (on his personal blog). It would happen again, no matter what the response.
If I were Ned or John I wouldn't openly post here again, either. In an open Forum one is exposed to all manner of classless, unrestrained people. Yet often the kernel of a classless post has some truth to it, more the damning if expressed politely.
No one questions Ned's desire to shoot Leica. Many people here own and shoot them. Many more would if they could afford one.
What we question is the wisdom of the CEO of a division of a global consumer products company praising a product manufactured by a (admittedly distant price-wise) competitor. Should Alan Mulaly (CEO of Ford) blog about a Ferrari?
Ned occupies a privileged position - there can be only one CEO of Pentax USA. It is unfortunate that sometimes with privilege comes some sacrifice of absolute freedom - in this case the freedom to blog as one sees fit personally. My company, for instance, doesn't permit us to have Facebook or Linked-In accounts at all. A personal blog must be registered and emails sent to managers for each entry.
It is also unfortunate that people in positions of privilege are judged for their apparent results by persons who, if in the same position, likely couldn't manage as well under the circumstances. But results are as results are. If you get them, lesser people can bitch all they want and you just point to your results. If you don't get them, where do you point?