RHC: Frank, I was not going to respond to this latest round of posts because it seemed to me it was simply promoting a continuation of more of the same. However, in fairness, you and I have always pretty much conducted ourselves in a cordial and professional manner in any interface we've had, so it would be unreasonable to just let your comments hang.
I don't know how I've been "contributing to the turmoil" here as you say by simply chatting with RLB over common interests. It may be off topic but that's nothing new here and at least it's not done in the hateful tone that surrounds so much of the discussions on this newsgroup. I'm not sure what being "part of the solution" means unless it means joining in to contribute to all the RLB bashing going on, which you know I won't ever do, since whether I would be right or wrong in my assessment, it would simply add to the continual downward spiral of this newsgroup into the gutter (where it sits a lot of the time anyway).
I have taken RLB to task a few times when I don't agree with him on technical matters, as he has done often when I say something that is incorrect. And that's as far as it goes.
In the ten or so years I've been a regular on this newsgroup, I've always tried to help people who come here get answers to their security related questions. Sometimes my answers are correct; sometimes they are wrong. But they are never given in a tone that implies the person asking the question is some sort of idiot for not knowing what we know as professionals in the business. Over the last few years, it seems anyone asking a question ends up being scorned in some manner, especially if he is a DIY'er who doesn't want his system monitored.( Don't get me wrong - I don't bother with local systems in any way, shape or form. I firmly believe that having anything to do with a local system is a waste of my time and the client's money! The equipment is only part of an alarm "system" which is the end to end functionality, and that includes proper physical security precautions !! ) That said, it is his choice, and not my place (or any of our places) to scorn him for his shortsighted decision.
I am no fan of ADT as you know, but I don't think I've ever said anything they didn't deserve, at least as it concerns the local types in our area. Compared to others such as AlarmForce though, they are virtual saints. Brinks I only know about through posts on this newsgroup - they are simply not active in our area of Canada (and thank goodness for that I suspect......)
But the newsgroup has become next to useless for any real technical purposes I see it having, to the point where I hardly ever read it anymore. I see little further purpose (for me anyway) in sticking around. And I certainly have no intention of joining in any of the sh*t being thrown around regardless of what anyone thinks of that !! . If you don't like the content of what I say, then criticize it in a professional manner, and I'll take note and we can discuss our differences as professionals in the business with different viewpoints. Come back with hateful or vile comments (as some do - not you), and it gets filtered. I don't deal in the real world with people who conduct themselves that way, so I won't on a virtual newsgroup either....
As I've said, I'm in the process of moving on into other activities and ventures in life, and I intend to leave the newsgroup as I entered it. Beyond the little bit of help and advice I can give, and some occasional light hearted banter between members, I don't intend to involve myself. That's it in a nutshell and always has been....