Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 Apollo 10/31/84; site apollo.uucp
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!wivax!apollo!eric
From: eric@apollo.uucp (Eric Peters)
Newsgroups: net.video,net.consumers
Subject: re: Consumer Reports
Message-ID: <230166d2.142@apollo.uucp>
Date: Fri, 16-Nov-84 16:28:49 EST
Article-I.D.: apollo.230166d2.142
Posted: Fri Nov 16 16:28:49 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 18-Nov-84 03:17:31 EST
References: <132@harvard.ARPA>
Organization: Apollo Computer, Chelmsford, Mass.
Lines: 31
Xref: genrad net.video:785 net.consumers:1480

There's been a discussion going on in net.video about the integrity
and reliability of *Consumer Reports* Magazine.  For instance

> I'm never surprised at what Consumer Reports says and feel that the
> only reliable parts of a product review are the reliability figures that
> are obtained from reader surveys, the prices, and the names and addresses
> of the manufacturers.
> 
> When I ask people who know a lot about bicycles about a CR bicycle review
> they tell me that CU doesn't know what it is talking about. I ask car
> people about car reviews, I ask stereo people about audio equipment, etc.,
> and everyone says that CU doesn't know what it is talking about.

My experience over several years and many purchases has been quite
different.  I have found that CR does take a somewhat simplified view
from that of a deep-end {bicyclist, auto rallyist, audiophile, etc.}.
But they do point out very basic, important, and practical features of
a product, that a non-deep-end purchaser might miss.  Face it, most of
us can't detect a small difference in the performance of a video
tape, but we still might want to know whether Brand Y is going to leave
crap all over our video heads.

One last point:  I take offense at generalizations like those in the
second paragraph quoted above.  Vague unnamed hoards of "people who know
a lot about bicycles" are allowed to impugn a hard-working and valuable
institution like Consumers' Union.

Let's move the discussion to net.consumers.

Eric Peters  (...!decvax!wivax!apollo!eric)
Apollo Computer Inc., Chelmsford, MA 01824