Thank you for your kind words regarding my Windows threads. I do endeavor to play fair and appreciate your seeing that. I have no grudges, and I'm nobody's fanboy.
While I agree that the majority of Swordmaker's threads are very pro-Apple, I will offer the observation that he has indeed posted threads and comments quite critical of Apple as well. I recall some regarding delayed response to some security issues, their social stances on homosexuality/LGBT, and particularly the damage done by their gay activist CEO to the company that Steve Jobs built. So I'll offer the opinion that if Apple's marketing -is- paying Swordmaker, they must be awfully tolerant of his pointed criticisms. You may dismiss them as carefully planted "cover" to pretend a sort of "balance", and there's no resolution possible to that argument. Just my opinion.
I can't say for sure, not having done a count/survey, how many pro-Apple threads get posted per day (the ones you characterize as unpaid ads). For what it's worth, I don't have any trouble avoiding them if I'm not interested in the thread topic, and I am on that ping list so I guarantee you I see them all. Maybe my eyeballs are less sensitized to Apple-related content than yours.
Regarding your comment "We’ve already caught Swordmaker...", this suggests that there really is a contingent of anti-Apple (or anti-Swordmaker) FReepers whose purpose it is to harass him at every opportunity. Swordmaker has expressed the belief that he's being targeted... Well, as they say, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you. :-)
One of the ways Swordmaker and I differ is that I'm far less likely to get caught up in the flame wars. He seems to always get right into the thick of it, and keeps going long after I would have bailed and ignored the taunts and assorted fecal matter. Granted, I did that kind of battle for a while many years ago, and was peripherally involved in the godawful Apple-flavored mess that JimRob finally stepped into in July 2010 and quieted down. Since then I've stayed out of the interpersonal fray for the most part (although I occasionally comment as I did on this thread).
I'm having a nice quiet evening and so I'll go now, give my 17-year-old orange kitty a scritch behind his ears, grab some much-delayed dinner, and wish you a similarly pleasant evening.
Some parting thoughts from me...
Do you know how I became aware of Swordmaker’s unhealthy obsession with Apple? Sometime in the past two years, I stumbled on to an Apple thread and made a comment. Now, I don’t remember if it was a particularly negative comment, but it must not have been pro-Apple, because Swordmaker jumped down my throat, started calling me a “troll,” accused me of spreading “FUD,” and accused me of being part of some vast right wing conspiracy called the “Apple Haters Brigade.” Naturally, this caught my attention.
Next thing I know, I’ve got people yelling at me to “stay off the Apple threads!!!” for the filthy, dirty crime of dissenting with the pro-Apple line.
Wow.
How did I become aware of Swordmaker? Why did I start paying any attention to his activities? Pretty much that initial reaction. Naturally, I piqued up. “Hmmm...” I thought, “Maybe that ‘Apple fan-boi’ rhetoric is true. After all, all I did was dissent on FR and I was treated like I am part of some kind of conspiracy.”
So, I tried a couple more posts, just to check it out. See what would happen. My favorite response was when Swordmaker actually pinged his entire Ping List and ordered them to attack me for having the temerity of going on an Apple thread and saying something not nice about Apple.
Now I’m curious. I tried explaining myself, “No guys: I don’t hate Apple. I currently own and have owned Apple products. My current phone is an Android because I prefer it... BUT... do you see how this reaction to dissent on the threads is a tad ridiculous?”
Out came the book-long responses, complete with marketing graphics, et al, that never really addressed that point, just continued to extol the virtues of Apple. OK, fine. For a while, I decided to be at peace. Swordmaker claimed to be running a Ping List on “all things related to Apple.” Unfortunately, though, by this point, he caught my attention. So - without really wanting to - I’m *seeing* his posts in forum and - whaddya know? - it’s not “all things related to Apple” after all! It’s three kinds of posts:
1. Apple is great and just released the greatest thing and is the greatest company in the world articles.
2. Something bad about Apple, but - don’t worry! - Apple is on it, everything will be alright, and keep using and buying Apple products with the greatest confidence. (The comical part is that even when the article would say something to the exact contrary, Swordmaker would *conveniently* translate the article in the best possible terms for Apple for his Ping List.)
3. “Android sucks” articles. “You are a fool if you ever buy Android.” Also, Samsung. Or any competitor to Apple. They suck, all around.
After seeing this blatant pattern, it became clear that - while he may not have started in this forum as a paid social marketer - he parlayed his membership in this forum into a paid social marketing gig with Apple. (Quack.)
So, yeah - there are a bunch of people who “watch” Swordmaker. Why? Probably because the way he and his minions treat dissent. When you have such an overwhelmingly negative experience for disagreeing on a *product*, it’s bound to draw your attention. Eventually, you want to know what’s up. Watch long enough, and the answer is self-evident.
I don’t consider this a flame war. I’m just calling attention to the fact FR has a regular stream of advertising/propaganda being pumped into the forum. Apple should be billed for it. (Oh, and I’m sure Swordmaker donates to the forum. It just goes on his expense report. I wonder if that counts as billing? Hmmm...)