I have no affiliation with this company...

[J.L. Kennedy]

I have no affiliation with this company. I do not own any of the company's stock.

LF forum members frequently post verbage like this when recommending a product or service. Its slightly irritating to me that they would think that my first conclusion is that they are hoping to profit from recommending a useful product or service. Likewise, I would be offended if someone's first conclusion if I recommended a product or service was that I was profiting somehow from the recommendation. Furthermore, who cares if I own stock in a company that I recommend. Does it really violate the non-commercial rules of this forum? When QT recently inquired about mini-vans, am I precluded from recommending a GMC vehicle if I own stock in GM? What if I only invested in a mutual fund with stock in GM? Where does it end? A big part of the reason I visit this forum is to get advice like this. Stop the disclaimers! ...just a Christmas Eve rant! Merry Christmas!

[bglick]

I see people protecting themselves a lot with this statement also. But, in all fairness to the posters, its easy to get attacked on this list, it sems most participants assume a motive, whether profit, an axe to grind, etc. So they are simply pre-empting the potential attack. One gets tired of defending themselves....

[William Mortensen]

I think it's just a quick disclaimer to assuage the usual healthy suspicions. See thread: http://largeformatphotography.info/lfforum/topic/504030.html

That said, I have no affiliation with anything or anyone, including myself.

[Jeffrey Sipress]

Covering your ass, and protecting yourself from the most far flung potential liabilities is now the #1 priority in today's world. It makes me sick to be continually subject to the crap that bored laywers will come up with.

I'm sure that some lawyer, and large format hobbyist/enthusiast, somewhere, can find a way to sue me into bancruptcy just for posting my last statement. And the most sad part of it is that some judge will say OK!

[Walt Calahan]

J.L.

Merry Christmas to you too!

I have no affliliation with Santa Claus, nor do I own any stock in his toy factory. HA!

Lighten up dude - have some eggnog. Just making sure people who always "question" know I just like the product. Used the case today on two different shoots. Best film holder carrying case I've own so far. Spreading the wealth and good cheer. HA! ;-)

[Eric Brody]

People on this forum often ask for and receive product recommendations. A reply is more credible when the respondent says he or she has or has used the product in question. It is amazing how many people on internet forums comment about equipment that neither own nor have ever used. Commenting that one has no commercial interest seems to me to be just another way of increasing one's credibility.

If someone says they LOVE Hasselblad cameras, and they work for the company, they may be an expert on technical matters, but by definition, they have a commercial interest in having people buy Hasselblads. That fact may (or may not) decrease their credibility. Given the same expertise, a non-commercial comment may have more credibility regarding strengths or weaknesses of a given product. I am not sure that owning the stock really matters, but raving about Ritz service when you work for them is another matter.

I think it is as simple as that.

[David Karp]

Lot's of rants lately. I am thinking about ranting about that.

[Duane Polcou]

I am in no way affiliated with this response.

[Kevin M Bourque]

I usually use the disclaimer. I've seen any number of people get jumped on for trying to "shill" stuff.

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[Caroline Matthews]

What a twit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!