Fun With Slashdot

LARRY HOOPER Can be reached at (415) 947-6229 or via e-mail at lrhooper@cmp.com.

Such was the case over the holidays with our annual Products of the Year report. At the end of each year, the CRN Test Center engineers look back at all the products they have reviewed during the previous 12 months and pick their 10 favorites. By its nature, it's a subjective exercise, but the Test Center team keeps it real by choosing products that mean something to VARsmeaning these products make it easier for you to do business, realize serious profit potential or help you stand out in a crowd.

It's always been one of our more popular features online, but this year's edition caught the attention of the world, drawing more than 600,000 page views. While it's exciting to have the world at your doorstep, it can also be illuminating. On slashdot.org, the comments about our choices were especially so. Some readers were shocked that we talked about the products' profit potential and accused CRN of everything from unethical business practices to, well, let's leave it at that. The comments came from less than a quarter of 1 percent of those who read the story, but some of the issues they raised are worth addressing point by point:

Vendors paid to have their products in the Products of the Year feature. (Nope. We really chose them.)

CRN is owned by United Business Media (yep), which is part of the Illuminati, a group plotting to take control of the world. (Huh?)

CRN picked Microsoft Vista because as part of the Illuminati, we are in bed with Microsoft. (Again, huh?)

CRN hates Linux. (Double nope. Bring up Linux with our Test Center team, and you'd better take a seat because you're going to be there a while.)

CRN is focused on helping solution providers drive sales and increase profit. (Yep.)

The takeaway here is that CRN will evolve with the channel and change its coverage focus to mirror its readers' businesses, but we will never forget who we are really writing for. We are for and about solution providers, and we are here to help you succeed and, yes, make more money. You can take that to the bank.

What's on your radar?
Give me call at (415) 947-6229 or send me a not at lrhooper@cmp.com.