[mistercow]

What doesn't come across in this post is how squirmy the public editor's post is (http://publiceditor.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/18/problems-wi...) .

It is particularly weird that the editor seems to imply that it was somehow unfair of Tesla Motors to turn on the data recorder without telling Broder. If the Times had collected more rigorous data than Tesla and then cornered them on some claim or other without revealing that they had contradictory data, the Times would be patting themselves on the back for their hard-hitting investigative moxie. But I guess it's a different story when the shoe is on the other foot.

[csours]

It was unfair to turn it on while representing to him that it is only turned on "with customer consent" and not telling him that they don't consider him a customer.

[nthitz]

Most customers actually have to purchase the vehicle rather than just getting a test model to review.

[toomuchtodo]

It's unfair to use your product's features to catch someone lying about said product during a review? Heaven forbid!

[flyinRyan]

You're being pretty ridiculous. If Border had been told the data was on he would have probably approached note taking in a completely different manner. Having not been told that he took shoddy notes and relied on human memory, perception and so on. Now the real data comes back and makes it seem like he was lying and that's not fair.

[RyanMcGreal]

> If Border had been told the data was on he would have probably approached note taking in a completely different manner.

He's a freaking journalist. He should always approach note taking in the most careful, rigorous manner, regardless of whether he thinks his subject will be able to second-guess his conclusions.

[dmak]

Correct me if I am wrong, but this is what it seems like you are implying: It's okay for someone of his stature (from the NYT) to take "shoddy notes and [rely] on human memory", since he wasn't told that "the data was on".

[flyinRyan]

No, there are many problems with it. For example, how do we even know the data is right? If the people Broder called gave him bad advice, maybe it's because something was inaccurate? Maybe the data isn't quite right. If Broder had known this whole thing was going to be recorded he could have brought his own recorder to protect himself from an overly aggressive company lying about his experience.

[toomuchtodo]

Shoddy data collecting/telemetry? Seriously? Is that what you're suggesting? Because SpaceX (another Musk company) has rockets that dock with the space station.

Definitely not worshiping Musk here, but if you can get a rocket to dock with the ISS, I'm pretty sure you can collect charge state, speed, and cabin environment control settings pretty accurately.

[mistercow]

>Having not been told that he took shoddy notes and relied on human memory, perception and so on.

And now maybe he and other journalists will know not to write damaging pieces based on shoddy notes and their vague recollection of what happened. If Tesla Motors had told him in advance that they were collecting data, then he would have been more careful in that specific review, and then when he went to report on a less resourceful company that couldn't keep tabs on him, he'd fuck them like he tried to fuck Tesla.

The fact is that Tesla has been bitten by this kind of thing before (see Top Gear). Who can blame them for wanting to set an example at the nearest opportunity?

[flyinRyan]

There is no evidence he "tried to fuck Tesla". From what I've gleaned, his review is what most non-fanboys would have ended up with. It looks to me like the typical clash of business guys vs. tech guys. The business is saying "hey, this sucks I can't figure it out" and the tech guys are spouting true but useless statistics at them, all the while mocking them for "ignorance".

The customer's perception is more important than the car sellers data.

>Who can blame them for wanting to set an example at the nearest opportunity?

Set an example of what? That if you don't write a glowing review they're going to throw an infantile fit on the internet?

[mistercow]

>Set an example of what? That if you don't write a glowing review they're going to throw an infantile fit on the internet?

Set an example of what happens when you fudge facts to get a better story.

[mistercow]

Doesn't sound to me like they explicitly represented it to him one way or the other. After the Top Gear situation, it's surprising to me that he wouldn't assume that they would turn it on. In any case, I don't think this can reasonably be considered underhanded behavior on Tesla's part.