Let's not characterise this as a war between hemispheres. Like a number of Aussies and NZers I am a reader and poster on ZDNET USA and read both George's, Ed's and Guttman's "theory". I have never seen such outrageous statements without proof from a supposed expert academic, but perhaps I don't get out enough. Guttman's statements and self-serving rant have been tested not only be George but reputable firms and have proved to be false.

While I don't always agree with George and Ed, I do know them to be technically proficient and concerned with real world tests rather than academic theories that can only be characterised as extreme fringe. Guttman's lack of response is also telling as well as his fixation on his slides that he has so far refused to release.

There's one thing that can be said - Put up or Shut up. George and others have proved his assertions false, so either provide actual proof or slink away.

Rob O'Neill is reporting things that I have allegedly done without ever contacting me if they were true.

Gutmann says "Ou has tried since to get hold of a copy of the slides from other people, in order to find out what it is he's been attacking for the last week or so".

This is patently false and hearsay. O'Neill takes Gutmann's claim and cites it as if it were fact. I'd be happy to grant an interview by email, phone, Skype, IM, or the communication medium of your choice. It would seem to make sense that if someone wants to report on me, they would want to talk to me.

This is the second time IDG has published Gutmann's claims as expert testimony without asking anyone else. O'Neill is repeating some of the same discredited claims and he says:

"This is not commercial HD content being blocked, this is users' own content," Gutmann says. "The more premium content you have, the more output is disabled."

Again this has been discredited with ACTUAL TESTS by me, and Kenneth Fisher of arstechnica.com. Can we please get some basic fact checking!

[Hi George - It's not a fair call to say Rob was blandly following Gutmann's line. The whole raison d'etre of his article was to alert people that you and Ed are vigorously disputing Gutmann's thesis. Most people in this country would not have heard your side of the story until Rob publicised your posts. - CK]

Mr. Gutmann makes some very colorful allegations about vista.

He doesn't seem to have anything to back them up, no references or citations or testing like you would expect in a research paper. After reading it all, I think he is just making this stuff up and enjoying the controversy and fame.

Looks like no one is actually having the problems he said. But when people point that out he insinuates that they are like Nazi war criminals. Nice!

To take one example, can anyone provide even one shred of evidence whatsoever for his statement

”This is not commercial HD content being blocked, this is users’ own content,„ Gutmann says.

All the testing that's been done shows users own created content is not affected in any way. That's what the docs and MS say too. But Gutmann keeps repeating this statement anyway. It's just weird.

For the full story make sure you read the other bits:
George Ou's article
Ed Bott's initial article and Ed Bott's update.
MS clarifications from way back