Ryan from AMDMB has posted an interesting and valid editorial on the morals and integrity of online tech media today and his recent experience at the Million Man LAN 2 held in the United States this weekend which will hopefully serve as a wake up call to many people in this industry.

Due to the strong arm tactics of Tom's Hardware Guide (THG), one of the largest tech sites in the world, the folks from AMDMB were not allowed inside the event building where AMD were set to show their upcoming Athlon64 product to gamers and THG-only reporters. This was all due to the fact that THG had obtained exclusivity of the content for themselves only, which should question the morals and integrity of online tech media, in this case THG and also AMD as a manufacturer, for totally destroying the meaning of free press.

After even more phone calls and complaining by me to the folks at AMD, I got what I am guessing is my final answer from AMD at the event: I will be allowed to see the event and talk with AMD, but any pictures I might take and articles or news I write about it must be "embargoed" until the THG site is done with; until they feel the news has been spent. This violates all kinds of notions of free press, as there is no NDA (non-disclosure agreement) on the products being shown, as they are being shown to the public! While I won't be able to pass a final judgment on the passing of these events until after tonight, when the AMD demonstration is set to go on at 10pm EST, the past two days have really soured my views of both AMD and THG.