Ah, but it's also a sweet-spot of 37Signals' fans.
That's not true. There are many critics of 37S here, some of them rather harsh.
I'm no 37S fan, but this controversy is a no-brainer for me. Customer support is a critical, inalienable part of my business. If someone tried to get between me and my customers, I would be furious. If they did it using a website that fooled people into thinking it was me, I would be exponentially furiouser.
Before this, I had a vague idea of GS as an up-and-coming startup. Now my perception of them has become: I don't want them anywhere the hell near my customers. Who do they think they are to insinuate themselves into that relationship? They might as well be trying to replace parts of my code with their own.
Edit: replaced "Now I know one thing about them" with "Now my perception of them has become". I don't of course know what GS' strategy or intentions really are. But from a positioning point of view, that doesn't matter.
I hoped that HN readers would be more objective than this, but then again it's only a news site. Oh, well.
Just remember that this type of judgmental attitude goes both ways. As likely as everyone who disagrees with you is a 37Signals fanboy, you could be a hater just looking to troll any thread to create a negative perception of the company.
You'd be quite right, but you'd have to ascertain that by looking through my comment history. I don't troll, but I will fight for what believe vehemently, even if that gets me downmodded. I'll then sit and think about what I've said and what others have said. If I'm very wrong, I'll correct it.
Fighting for objectivity on a site is something that I don't think should be looked at negatively. But, to each his own.
Fighting for objectivity on a site is something that I don't think should be looked at negatively. But, to each his own.
I don't see how accusing those disagreeing with you as being fanboys is "fighting for objectivity". Maybe a lot of people just don't think the stance you are taking has merit?
If you'll notice, I have devolved to that only after I was called a GS fanboy for no other reason than arguing a counterpoint.
My stance has no merit, only if you're unwilling to consider how this debacle might have impacted the other side. Yes, they made a mistake. A severe one. Did they do it on purpose? Everyone here seems to think so and I don't think that the peanut gallery would see it that way had there been a fair and objective view of the situation with comments provided from both sides.
The thing I was most upset with is that most HN readers did not stop to consider whether or not GS founders are really as malicious as they were being painted.
I hoped that HN readers would be more objective than this, but then again it's only a news site. Oh, well.
P.S. dude, you should totally meet me. I'm very cool in person. ;-)