When I first saw this video a few months back it really changed my outlook quite a bit. I guess we're just in an industry that makes it very easy to slip into the anger bucket....

Final? I was expecting at least another 30 or so posts in the series :)

It need more Andrew :)

I must have misplaced my invite to the dinner party :P

Don't hate The Leveler...hate the game :)

"Today, in 2010, there is still NO “best SIEM for everybody” and there is NO feature parity even across key capabilities."

What? How can you say that? Every SIEM vendor is fighting for feature parity and innovation has become stagnant as a result. If one were to take the features offered by the top 6 SIEM vendors and create a matrix of feature/functionality, it would be incredibly difficult to tell them apart. In fact, if you used marketing literature and removed the vendors names from the document, I bet the layperson have a very difficult time figuring out which vendor was saying what.

Congrats buddy :)

I suspect that there won't be any shortage of local providers to pick up the slack left by Vigilar closing shop.

"plus... I'll be there!"

Only reason I'm going :P

To address some of your comments:

1) The old adage: “Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them and then tell them what you told them.” Well, there is also an element of that going on in press releases.

True, but the "old adage" has been molested into something along the lines of "tell them what you are going to tell them by telling them the same tired thing that everyone else is telling them, tell them again but this time tell them that what you're doing is new and innovative and unlike the competitor who is doing the exact same thing, rinse, regurgitate."

I don't blame you, or your colleagues, for this but rather the industry for letting it continue. Organizations have to take a stand and blaze new trails...not keep filling up the trails with the same garbage.

2) Second, as far as the vision reference - that was a very blatant nod to one of the points start-ups are judged upon by analysts – specifically, Gartner – vision and ability to execute.

Why....that sounds like pandering to me and, as a customer, care nothing for how an analyst firm sees you in their eyes. Again, a failure of the industry to let it continue.

3) Communication is not always as simple as one would think if should be. I see it all the time in security – all the rhetoric about security mangers needing to “speak the language of business…” Not so easy when business doesn’t speak the language of security, or care to learn any more then they have to. I think you would be surprised what a diverse set of stakeholders a single press release can have.

I somewhat agree with you on this point but shouldn't the vendor be doing their absolute best to relate to their customers? Perhaps targeted press releases for varying levels of a business would be a better goal than a blanket marketing sermon?

4) I have been in PR a long time and have seen many rants like yours. I take them all with a grain of salt, but as the target of your derision, I felt behooved to respond. Hopefully I was successful in providing a glimpse into our world that might evoke something besides scorn. If not, I’m happy to take you off my release distribution lists and be on my merry way.

I'm glad you took the time to respond. Most would ignore it and move on their way. What I would hope, however, is that your employer takes note of my "rant" (I like to call them blog posts...but whatever) and perhaps thinks that there might be a better way to better convey their product and/or service to the masses.

5) But I will leave you with one last point: these releases are not issued in a vacuum: Who do you think approves them before they go out? Hint: you position them in your post, incorrectly, as oblivious to the deeds of their lame marketing minions.

I disagree. I think they are released within a vacuum and it's up to the executives of the companies to read their press releases - I mean really read their press releases - and see if it actually says "something" before releasing it. I'm talking about meat and potatoes information here.