"I would urge you to reconsider participating in arguments like these.
Bryon and Tom, I suspect that were all on exactly the same page here, but I think its worth expanding on your points. IMO, it can be beneficial to everyone when a manufacturer participates in, even volatile, threads. But my advise to them is: Dont argue, and dont sweat the small stuff. Choose your battles wisely. Dont respond to negative opinions. The purpose of your response should be to get the facts straight. Make your case respectfully and then "arrivederci baby". Dont get sucked into "did not, did too; did not, did too..." The quality of your participation is the key. Also, give us some credit. We can read between the lines, and over the course of a thread, malicious motives will tend to reveal themselves.
But, by the same token, if it seems like youre taking hits from all directions, you might want to reexamine some of your practices.