Discussion on:

Victorinox carving set: Top slicer

Also available through Amazon for less than a hundred bucks plus less than ten for shipping.

MT C

So now Smartplanet has become a sales platform for products?

If you don't like it, just say so.

I do not like commercials

I look at Woot and One Sale A Day and Bens Outlet daily for this stuff. Don't need it here.

Andrew, I DON'T LIKE IT. Is that clear enough?

But yes, it's clear.

Indulge me: why don't you like it? This section isn't about deals at all; we're just trying to showcase new and interesting products. (Whether or not you like this one, well, that's a separate discussion.)

Amy, did you get a set for the free advertising you're giving them?

FYI, much better knives can be had for much less money. Google is your friend!

Andrew I as well, DO NOT LIKE IT.

Seriously though, what's the issue? Do you not like to read about new products?

I don't mind reading about new products, but this article has absolutely zero objective information. Tell us WHY this product is better than others. Are there any studies that you can cite? Is there a survey showing that professional chefs prefer it 2:1 over the Wusthof set? I mean, just telling us about a product with lines like "you'll want to smell the turkey, not the tool" is laughable. I could have written a better article in five minutes or less. It demonstrates a complete lack of effort. There's my 2 cents' worth.

Don't confuse our coverage of science, found elsewhere on the site, with preference. We selected this product because we like it. End of story. Do you ask the New York Times' Travel section to prove to you why Bali is a better travel destination than Bermuda? C'mon.

And seriously, lay off the trolling: "I could have written a better article in five minutes or less. It demonstrates a complete lack of effort." Don't confuse brevity with lack of effort. Think you can write a markedly better one? Go right ahead!

This reminds me of going to a movie theater, paying big bucks to see the movie, then having to sit through some car ad. When I sign on here I often get assaulted with an IBM ad, over and over again, same ad. At least I can click on it to show that I don't want to review that ad. Some news clips don't give that option. As for Victorianox quality, it's not too bad, similar to Henkel but no where as good as some of the Japanese brands with a laminated steel. High carbon layer in the middle flanked by stainless steel on both sides. Amazingly sharp and amazing ability to retain an edge yet sturdy.

IBM *is* an advertiser. If you have a complaint -- and I see that here, thank you -- we can direct it to them.

This? This is us trying to mix it up. It's not intended to be an advertisement at all; it's supposed to be a collection of items we like. We have no relationship with any of the companies whose products are featured here.

Would you prefer us to present it in a different way?

But I would like more detail... Victorinox makes one of the top pairing knives according to America's Test Kitchen and they are dirt cheep ( $5.00)... I own several of them... How about your own comparrisons and opinions.. Do a little research and give me some reasons as to why you think it is a better slicer than the ones I already own... I already know that Victorinox makes a slicer that is better and far less expensive than this one that i can buy for less than $50.00 at Smart and Final... But I would still enjoy reading about why you might think this one is better.

Not that I want to debate metaphors, but I just want to point out a major difference between SmartPlanet and a movie theater: we don't charge for entry.

Advertising pays the bills here, like it does for many other websites. If you have other suggestions ("I'd rather pay a little and have no ads at all!") we're all ears.

Online publications have been around a long time, but the business model continues to evolve.

Maybe you could highlight ads in a different color. I clicked on the story thinking it would be something "Smart Planet"-like. And here it is just a plain old advert. I can totally see you needing to pay for the great content and contributions, but please do so in a way that lets the readers differentiate between the two. Thanks much.

If you're talking about this one, it's not an ad.

I think that's what it comes across as actually. I initially appears to be an article, but what we have is the same thing you'd see in a catalog: photo of the item, description, and price. So, yes it seems like an ad.

I don't have a problem at all with seeing new items on the market. But, like someone else said, 'mark' it in some way....possible with a different colored header or border...maybe a header that says "Innovative Items". Just let us know it isn't an article. Make a section for innovative items that SmartPlanet found that we might be interested in buying.

Its description is as follows: "The things you want, need and love. Products to buy and where to find them across the globe." I understand the confusion, but I don't know how we could be more clear.

On re-reading, it looks even more like 100% copy/pasted from a catalog. It's not a 'blogger's personal opinion, in their own words', even:

"Feeling a little intimidated about slicing up the holiday bird? Dont be. With Victorinoxs two-piece forged carving set, youll be prepared to carve with Swiss precision. The eight-inch carving knife and carving fork are made using a hot-drop forging process that heats the steel and then hammers it into shape for a stronger, more durable metal. The curved handle should allow for a comfortable grip as you carve; its plastic makeup allows for much more effective cleaning afterward. Which is a good thing when you gather with family around the dinner table, youll want to smell the turkey, not the tool. 2-piece forged carving set is available at the Victorinox Swiss Army website. $211."
Gee, kids, It's a 10-line advert, word for bloody word!
Andrew, *calling* something (such as verbatim catalog ad-copy) a 'blog' or an 'article' doesn't make it one. If this blatant commercial (for a generic holiday product wholly-unremarkable in any 'SP' way) had appeared in 'MediocrePlanet', or 'DownrightStupidPlanet', maybe no one would've noticed or commented. If it isn't an ad (this type--masquerading as an article--used to be called 'editorial mention' in your racket), you wouldn't be defending it now in the context of 'Paying the Bills Here at CBSInteractive....
I bet this 'article' exists word for word, in it's exact brevity, on a Victorinox, or Hoffritz et al, catalog/website, and was posted here under the rubric of 'journalism'. I feel like a dope, now, for having spent the time I did flagging spam here and on TechRepublic; this so-called 'article' has the exact text as a 'comment' that would've been "flagged as spam"....

I personally appreciate you (and others) sweeping up around here. Flagging spam is much appreciated. Thanks for taking the time.

That said: it's 100% not an ad. But as I said in reply to other comments, I understand the confusion. I'll see what I can do about it.

I'm all for different content, but drop forged steel is as advanced as steel-belted tires and there isn't much to this article. How is this set different from a KithcenAid set? Have you used it before? Would you buy it? tis is a basic carving set--where's the 'smart' aspect?

Sorry. Reeks of sales marketing.

We're just getting this section off the ground, so it's good to have that feedback. Your point is perfectly fair; we can certainly try to find more innovative items to feature.

How do you feel about the section as a whole?

Andrew,
I know that e-mail and blog posts do not carry tone, but your attempts to elicit feedback seem rather defensive to my critical review. People are telling you that they want something other than product endorsements when they read smartplanet. I understand that you are trying a new feature, but defending it and then asking for input doesn't really elicit the most supportive response, does it?
I will tell you that I do not like the idea of "The Goods" as a part of smartplanet. SmartPlanet used to send me provocative, insightful, and even inspirational science-related news stories. I used to save the e-mails until I had read every story in each one. Then you changed the format.
I now scan my smartplanet e-mail. If the teasers don't "hook" me, I won't read it. Before the format change, I found merit in almost every article. After the new format, so many stories lead to little "sound bites" that had all the newsworthiness of "tweets."
Is smartplanet an info hub where I can keep abreast of science and green technology? Or is it a cool and fun social network that is trying to keep a buzz and excitement going just to generate interest in a great cause like, you know, eco-green-vegan-enlightenment consumerism for the coolest kids using the latest cell phone technology? Populating smartplanet with a section like "The Goods" makes me think you are pursuing the latter.
Do me a favor. Do not get "The Goods" off the ground, but endeavor to bury it six feet under. Please focus on journalism and news with a scientific, ecological bent with interest to consumers. That's why I'm here. Thanks.

I still read smartplanet. I find some interesting articles. If you understood how much I protect my in-box, you might see that I am more pro-smartplanet than con. If my scale tips, I'll bow out and thank the good folks for the memories.

We don't run anything eco-green-vegan-enlightenment. Never have.

And the articles we publish today are longer than they ever have been before, with more in-depth reporting than we've ever done. I absolutely promise you that. I really don't know how you could get the opposite impression.

As for my replies here: I'm not defending the post, just explaining its purpose. Many of the complaints here focus around expectations we didn't establish. Perhaps this is our fault -- maybe we're not messaging you all properly -- but you can imagine my frustration in trying to explain why we're not something we never have been. I apologize if it comes off defensive, that's not my intention.

Anyway, I appreciate you explaining why you came here. That's useful. Thanks for your feedback.

As Andrew mentioned, we are just starting this section and would love to hear feedback from readers. Please let us know what you would like to read about in this section.

Better deal from "Gunter Wilhelm Cutlery": Carving fork $ 30;
8, 10 or 12 inch carving knife $ 40
Better handle, resembling rosewood (pakawood, a composite material consisting of wood strands, compressed with epoxy and resins), better balance because of triple tang design and best warranty: unlimited lifetime!
Above price point only offered during road shows at Costco for their members, though.
So now that I got my plug in here, my thought of a Smart Planet sponsored "commercial" section of goods/services is one of agreement if products are geared towards SP cutting info edge, i.e. there has to be a "Wow!" factor. The AR Drone quadcopter by French Parrot Co. comes to mind...

Panning real wood knife handles, that is.

Wood used for knife handles does NOT smell, as the article all but stated it does. It is also one of the BEST materials for a handle, providing a natural grip as well as durability.

Try Old Hickory or something similar, for a GOOD knife. (oh, GOSH, hot-drop forged? I'm creaming my pants right now!)

This discussion is hilarious! I love it.
Who wrote this article, Amy Kraft or Andrew Nusca? I'm confused about that.
But anyhow, Amy or Andrew, don't pay attention to your bitter critics, just
continue offering whatever, from carving knives to trips to the moon, if one
doesn't care about the add, one ignores it.
It's that simple.
We are getting this nice magazine at home, FOR FREE, that's already something to stop us from complaining..., we can write comments about all the articles... anything else El exigente?
Enough is enough.
(I like the add, looks pretty).

Thought I was going to be introduced to something new. I wasn't! I am disappointed.

... aside from the is it or isn't it an 'ad' debate, I'd just like to add that irrespective of the technology used to make it sharper/better than the competition, unless it's maintained well then you may as well buy a cheaper set as the sharpness of a blade will dull over time. I've got a cheap set of knives that may not perform as well as the set listed here when out of the box, but I sharpen mine regularly so within 6months my cheap but maintained knife set will probably be outperforming the one listed here.

Just thought maintenance is worth mentioning.

And the heat treating make a huge difference in the quality of a blade. A less than optimal grind can be corrected, to a degree.

I agree with the others, this does read like an ad. This is what I comprehended when I read the article:

Here's a knife set. It has plastic handles. It probably cuts through turkey. We'll charge 5 times what it's really worth because of the name. Buy it anyway.

I don't mind the section, but give us a little bit more than a cut/paste from their website. If you like the product, by all means, share it with us, but at least tell us WHY you like it! Ok, you *did* mention the plastic handle, but a plastic handle does not make a $200 knife.
Alloy, hardness, edge retention, edge maintenance, balance, all those things are important in an actual review or even a product recommendation.

I know you guys got beat up a lot over this, and I hate to jump on the bandwagon, but which is worse, us complaining or just not coming back?

I appreciate the feedback very much, and I very much want you to come back. I apologize if you or others confuse my many questions with defensiveness -- I'm just trying to refine the anger into some actionable insight.