Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/02/24

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Subject: Re: [Leica] DR. BLACKTAPE WOULD LIKE TO RAISE AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS QUESTION REGARDING ERWIN PUTTS' "REVIEW OF THE NEW M7...
From: John Collier <jbcollier@powersurfr.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 12:44:47 -0700

First of all I would to state that my opinion, gladly, holds no weight
whatsoever and is considered as nothing less than pure drivel even by those
who hold me near and dear.

I agree with both Marc and BD on this one! Perhaps much to their dismay?

Erwin has a good deal of interesting information in his reviews and, if he
has been added to the list of those whom Leica uses as testers, bully for
him. Lord knows we would all like to be added to that list as well.
Unfortunately his English language usage seems to have been learned at the
knee of a German ad copy writer. Far too flowery praise for things that have
been common industry practice for many years and let us not forget that
peculiarly Germanic  denseness of expression. Simple things expressed in
needless confusing complexity. For us native English speakers it raises
those same alarm bells that ring so loudly when snake oil salesman appear at
our doors.

It really is a pity as I know it is not the intended effect. English is
Erwin's fourth or fifth language and he is very good considering that I
struggle unsuccessfully with one. You just have to remind yourself, when
reading his prose, that he does not mean it to sound that way. For all I
know a direct translation back into his native language would win him the
local equivalent of the Pulitzer prize.

The reality for me is that he is a Leica apologist and seldom will
shortcomings be first disclosed by him. That does not mean he is anything
but honest and forthcoming in his reviews; just that he is an enthusiast and
his reports are coloured by that point of view. In much the same way reviews
of early Lotus cars seldom mentioned the necessary upkeep.

John Collier

> From: Marc James Small <msmall@infi.net>
> 
> Long before you subscribed to the LUG, BD, I made the same foolish
> accusations about Erwin, to the point that he protested to Brian about my
> lack of politeness.  In the end, I began to READ what he was saying,
> instead of simply engaging in a knee-jerk reaction, and began to understand
> the depth and breadth of his work, and then I ceased my juvenile rantings
> and laid down the mantle of Moral Probity which you, sadly, have now chosen
> to don.  Give it a rest, BD.  The quality of Erwin's work speaks for itself.

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Replies: Reply from "Doug Lee" <drlee9@earthlink.net> (Re: [Leica] DR. BLACKTAPE WOULD LIKE TO RAISE AN EXTREMELYSERIOUS QUESTION REGARDING ERWIN PUTTS' "REVIEW OF THE NEW M7...)