After reading 5 pages of replies, I'm still trying to figure out what really are all the grouses against that particular writer and the magazine he works for.
OK, so maybe he wasn't thinking properly when he used the editorial page to return an insult which was a tit-for-tat reaction for a personal attack by a forumer at lowyat.
Then again, many of you never really cared why he reacted the way he did. All I hear you saying is that Mark, as a journalist, ought to take criticisms like a man.
yeah well...as far as I can tell, there's just one problem with that statement....it depends whether the criticisms you levelled at him are 'constructive'.
Personally, I haven't seen or read one bit of constructive criticism offerred. You don't expect any guy with even an ounce of pride to swallow every bit of sh1t you throw at him.
1. People are taking issue with his writing style. Travis even mentioned the Turbo Vios article. I'm assuming you are referring to the Vios article in Issue 51. Well, what exactly is wrong with the way he wrote that piece ??? He described the car....the work and mods that went into it....the owner's intentions and plans, how the car handles...er....so what's wrong ? Sounds like pretty much how it is written in other car magazines. OK in some articles, he takes up a couple of paragraphs rambling on about an unrelated matter, but fair go guys....he doesn't do it all the time. Honestly, in the majority of his articles, I'm hard-pressed to single out any idiosyncracies with his style. Some people are so nitpicky :)
2. I don't know about you. But I take the good with the bad, and if the overall result is still good then everything is fine with me. The guy had maybe a few rambling articles out of many others but you tar and feather him nevertheless.....drag his name in dirt and suggest he ought "to be shot." And you wonder why he's pissed off at you ?
3. About those comments and comparisons of Hypertune to Clarkson and Topgear magazine as the benchmark.....that's just barking up the wrong tree. Don't get me wrong. I love Clarkson and Top Gear, but if you think Clarkson is any less slapstick, you're wrong. The guy writes a lot of BS and devote a ton of pages talking smack (in an article featured not so long ago in the Star he had a entire editorial in newspaper small print devoted to fighting global warming by building a giant pipe to space to channel hot air into the vacuum...what sh1t....but you love the comedy anyway didn't you?)
4. Clarkson and Top Gear is all about BMWs, Porsches, Caparos, Ariel Atoms, Mercs, Aston Martins etc etc. Cars most of the people here won't be able to afford. Hypertune is about local modding scene, local tuners, review of specific mods available locally, with due attention given to local makes and brands. It's a heck lot more relevant to me and to a lot of Malaysian readers than Top Gear ever would be.
5. Some of you complained their choice of feature cars are getting worse. How so ? The articles are fascinating to me. Maybe you are just getting jaded with the selection ? In that case, what alternatives do you suggest bearing in mind you that for each month's issue you have to select from modded cars located within Malaysia and Singapore. You think that is an easy task ? Furthermore, name me another local car magazine with an equivalent or better coverage of locally modded feature cars, and product reviews ? Well, if you think the quality of the feature cars the mag is falling, then how about offering your own cherished rides to be featured. Are your rides up to the task ? Don't know how many of you actually bothered comparing the last issue (# 72) with, for example, #41 way back in 2005. The content now, including number of featuresand detailed reviews are much more now than back in 2005. The quality of photography is also way better. Don't take my word for it. Pull out the two issues and make a comparison yourself.
6. Comments about the poor binding....I have issues 41 to 72...none have fallen apart...don't exactly know how you handle your copy.
7. Too much adverts in the magazine for car accessories and tuning shops ? features, reviews and addresses of tuners and products all in one issue under one roof. Well what's wrong with that ?
8. Complaints about the magazine's price. RM 10.90. WTF guys ?!? Only 10.90 and you b*tch about it when most of you willingly piss away a ton load more money drinking yourself silly every Friday pub night, not to mention shopping and buying useless crap for a lot more than RM 10.90. When was the last time any of you gave some thought about how much a standard white piece of A4 photocopy paper cost. It adds up and the paper in Hypertune is actually gloss which will cost even more. RM 10.90 is a pittance in the overall scheme of things. For once, have a sense of perspective.
Just my 2 cents, or in case of Hypertune RM 10.90
