Censorship, Free Opinion, Competitors, Symbiotes, Parasites and 'Free' Advertising

I apologise – this is a rather rushed post to attempt a general explanation for a few decisions which have upset certain forum members and may have concerned others.

Every once in a while an individual or group will express a liking or preference for a product from A.N.Other manufacturer. The forum usually contains several such non-Naim discussions.

Naim exists in the market place by offering something which in many ways beats that of its competitors. Away from the forum you will and should listen to as many options as you deem sensible and always choose that which offers the best overall performance/value to you.

B&W, Focal, Neat, Kudos, Rega, Linn and countless others make products which many will wish to own alone or in combination with Naim equipment. They are competitors and denying their existence would be and is stupid/impossible.

For example: The Chord Company once had a symbiotic relationship with Naim - providing RCA phono versions of our DIN only leads. They grew and expanded their range and are now, in so far as we make interconnects and speaker/mains cables, a competitor.
Discussion of their (and similarly placed) products seems unproblematic - given the limits mentioned above.

Within this forum I will limit the number of threads but not, normally, the length of any one or few threads. The objections I have had in the past have been - over promotion by a small band of members who then appear (to me) a bit messianic and assume for themselves an importance beyond their numbers or relevance to the general membership.

If unchecked this runs the risk of turning the first page of any forum section into an exclusive discussion of Product X. It becomes effectively a single issue sub-forum with its own agenda. This will lead it into conflict with this Naim Forum and there will be tears before bedtime.

Recently I have decided to remove (and will prohibit) discussion of another product. This, upon reflection, turned out to be a simple decision for me - tying in with recent thoughts about a regrettable trend I have noted in some forums I visit.

A forum a potential goldmine for marketing - especially beneficial for small companies who wish to do away with the expense of old style advertising - often relying on a search engine to reflect the generated 'interest' by the number of hits or posts concerning their product. For some - publicity is publicity, whether positive or negative. It is a presence and it gets a name back into circulation. This can take the honest form of direct involvement by the manufacturer or, less overt, the use of proxies to post in their place or in support.

Such marketing can be very difficult to detect or confirm.

There is a benign form - where genuine enthusiasm leads to a desire to share experience of a new product. I in no way impugn the motives of such posts.
However, there is, for me at least, a separate case - where the products or services are parasitic on Naim's success and product range.

Some seek to offer a modification or alternative for a Naim specific part. Again - they are obviously free to do this but they will do this under their own steam - with their own advertising efforts, discussion on other forums but they will not be encouraged here at the expense of the ‘host’.