Many of you know first hand that AVS Forum is first and foremost a site dedicated to helping others get the best out of the equipment they own. We promote the in home audio and video experience. People helping people.
With that said, we are sad to say that this is only the second time in the history of AVS Forum where we needed to close down some sections of the site for a short time. In this case, it is the HD format areas for HD DVD and Blu-ray which will be closed to new posts.
Why are we taking such an action? Simple, we want you all to know a few things that we like and that we do not like about what has been taking place here on the site and elsewhere. We hope to also give some of the most vocal posters in those sections time to think about what they may be doing to the site and the formats they may support in general.
First, AVS Forum as a site and a company that is NEUTRAL on the format war. Anyone who says otherwise just is not informed as to what AVS Forum is all about. In fact, we had both Blu-ray and HD DVD as sponsors at the AVS Forum CEDIA 2007 party in September where both camps had a chance to say a few words to the 400+ people that attended. Both camps were outstanding for their support of the AVS Forum community and we look forward to working with both as we have been. Also both sides have been sponsors of the site by running ads here to which helps support the site. We thank them both for this support and their continued support. Without the ads and the ad dollars for them and other site sponsors, AVS Forum could not operate.
Second, We love the HD formats in general. In fact Alan, David, Jason, and others who help here use both formats. Why? Simple, we love movies and care to watch them in hi-def form no matter what that may be. (Yes, we also owned DVHS!) No matter how this all shakes out in the end, we will still be watching movies and doing so happily in 1080P.
Third, while AVS Forum seems to be the top place this war is being fought, we really do not like how the members are acting as of late. We have until now tried to deal with it as we can, but now it has come to this. We have seen members attacking other members not only in debate, which is the right way, but with physical threats that have involved police and possible legal action. This type of behavior is just not welcome here PERIOD. To the extent that some of you have gone to support either format is just, well, disgusting and has no place on this site. The amount of misinformation posted here and other places on-line HELPS NO ONE. You are doing NO ONE any good, not even your own format of choice. Why? Think about it, you post false information that then later proves to be just that, false, how does that help the cause? In fact it hurts it. So do not believe all that you read and restate it as fact.
AVS Forum gets it from both sides..."You removed my post. I support HD DVD and you all back Blu-ray so you censor my posts!!! Your a #$#@$#@!!!!" And on the flip side... "You and your site is nothing more than a shill for HD DVD, I will seek legal action for my post removals and the truth will come out." People, come on now, AVS Forum has been on the net long before digital projectors. When DVD's were still a new thing. To think we are paid off or bought out by one side or another is just, well, silly not to mention FALSE. If we were to do that, well, the site would not be like it is today.
It is by the actions we take to try to keep the site a helpful place that leads members to accuse us as bias one way or another. This is all based on what was removed. The moderators (mod) are accused by BOTH sides of being one sided. Kind of funny really for the member who does the yelling, only does so based on his attack of one format being removed thus accuses the mod of being biased. Yet that same mod may have removed 5 posts for the "other side" for the same type of behavior. Go figure. To the people saying such things, you really do not know what takes place now do you? You only see your side. You were wronged after all. That's ok, we are all only human and most of that time that is our nature to feel hurt by such actions. So please think about it before you attack the mods or the site. You may just understand we are trying to keep things from getting worse.
For those of you who think we are all HD DVD, this is NOT our doing and NOT the case. Remember, AVS Forum is known in the industry as the site for the early adopters. As such, the first one out of the gate would look to have more support than any other based on the early units and posts here on the site. It is catchy and thus starts to stick. But AVS Forum, as a site, is NOT for one format or another as mentioned. It would not be our place to make such a choice.
After all, their is a lot more to this site than just these formats. We see over 200 thousand people a day and receive over 9,000 new posts daily. We even see 500+ NEW member registrations a day. People are all not here for just the format war. Not even close. But seeing we are the largest site of it's kind on the net today, we do get the bulk of the format war activity right to our doorstep.
With that said, when we do reopen the areas, and we will, please, please be so kind to THINK before you post in these sections. If your post is self serving to just attack the other format, please do not post and go elsewhere. If you are posting just to provoke others, please go elsewhere. If you are not helping someone in someway and just care to put down their choice of product, please go elsewhere. We will not allow for the threats and the outright bashing to take place. We can close the account and even remove all the posts made by the account. As such, what a waist of time some would have had on the site.
All in all we kindly ask you to please consider what you are posting before you post it. Also consider your actions towards others and that included the mods, the admins, and the site itself. Remember, false and misleading information posted here or elsewhere can lead to issues for yourself or your place of employment if posting from a corporate network. One of our favorite movies lines..."evil begets evil"...so please be helpful.
Thank you all for your help in keeping AVS Forum the place to be for help, support, and good information. We are truly sorry to those of you affected by this that should not be.
Side note...Please do not PM us or contact us about this (admins or mods). You see, we already hear it all from both sides good and bad. Not to mention we get enough mail and PM's as it is in our normal operations. If sent, they will not be replied to. Thank you for your understanding.
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