As someone who spent my whole life being reviewed in public venues I can say the only real difference between "professional" and "non professional" is that one is being paid...

The working theory is that when someone is being paid, their work will be professional in the qualitative sense. It's not always true, but it's generally true.

When it comes to music critics-in my experience more often not the case. I can say that now cause I am retired. :-)

The working theory is that when someone is being paid, their work will be professional in the qualitative sense. It's not always true, but it's generally true.

I assume you are referring to the quality of their work? Yes I would expect the quality of a professional to be good but I also expect many amateurs to be as good. Take woodworking as an example. Often an amateur will be better as they put more time in to projects and take more pride than a professional who has other demands and schedules. Same I feel with flight simulation. In fact I doubt there are many real 'professional' reviewers. They are retired or do it on the side with a real job that pays the bills (all of them, not just pocket money). There are so many accomplished amateurs that they by far outweigh the professionals in experience. It's just to small a market for it to be otherwise. Anyway, back to my query. I don't think the original article passes the rules that have appeared over the last few pages.

As someone who spent my whole life being reviewed in public venues I can say the only real difference between "professional" and "non professional" is that one is being paid...

Well put. Not to mention, that professional is "subjective" at best, and in all rights, is just an opinion like all of ours.

I suspect it is totally within the realm of possibility that certain amateurs *ahem* can remain quite unbiased and are happy to cover both sims.The only "bias" I might generally hold is that the product I look at fits my own criteria for flight sim fun/enjoyment first, true value for our hard-earned money, and offers generally accurate modelling and enhancement to the given sim on a reasonably generic system.Now my own criteria will be obviously different from your own personal views (rivet counting and placement, realistic or unrealistic expectations and so forth)....but hey....I like to virtually fly and enjoy writing-as would any reviewer professional or otherwise.When I went back and re-read the OP's original posted article the less I liked it. But thats just me.As a side note it really would be a lot more pleasant and informative to read this forum section if certain posters would knock off the "us-v-them" stuff once and for all. It's quite distracting, dull, and childish.

If you are living you will have developed a bias...a basis on which you see and judge the things and world around you. GoranM, so as the magazines you called out, employee humans... the people dont check their life experience when they log on to write a piece. It is possible to attempt fairly judge a product and perhaps override your feelings. But, then thats a form of bias in of itself. Think about all news publications that call themselves fair and balanced .. you can always detect a bias,

..got a coors light?

No, sorry only whine to go with your cheese.

I have heard before about, "beating a dead horse". this thread is getting ridiculous :( .

No, sorry only whine to go with your cheese.

cheese?..oh..kinda like using your glamour shot as an avatar?

I have heard before about, "beating a dead horse". this thread is getting ridiculous :( .

Yep. All threads start different, but end the same. :(

cheese?..oh..kinda like using your glamour shot as an avatar?

That's not me and Jim is not my real name. Don't you know never to post personal information on the Internet?

You cannot be serious Jim.We all know you are Jim.

You cannot be serious Jim.We all know you are Jim.

My Profile is wrong too.

So your profile at LinkedIn is wrong too?Nice. Whahaha..............nice......really.

Yep. All threads start different, but end the same. :(

You have indeed, "hit the nail with your head".