TechCrunch vs TailRank

Kadang-kadang, kalau ngikutin berita di Tech Crunch saya suka geli, sering ketemu yang lucu-lucu. Ngeliat orang dewasa berantem kalau menurut saya sih lucu. Jadi ceritanya begini, si Michael Arrington, pendiri TechCrunch, blog yang ngereview situs internet paling nge-hot, nyeritain kalau situs Tailrank, situs berita aggregator(pengumpul), telah mengalami masalah akhir-akhir ini. Dikatakan bahwa beberapa minggu ini, bagian Technologynya tidak pernah ada beritanya. Kadang-kadang, situsnya sendiri mengalami kondisi blank alias cuma halaman kosong. Lalu si Michael mengirim email ke Kevin Burton dan dibalasnya, "Just in the middle of a big uprade to Spinn3r which is causing more work for Tailrank. Basically a large infrastructure upgrade."

Abis itu, Michael beropini diblognya bahwa bagian technology Tailrank mengalami hiatus karena situsnya Kevin Burton ini ga ada yang baca secara berkala alias ga laku. Dan beranggapan kalo Tailrank akan masuk deadpool, kolom berita kematian perusahaan dotcom-nya TechCrunch. Nah, kontan si Kevin Burton marah. Luapan kemarahaannya bisa terlihat dari komentarnya (dicopy-paste aja yah, panjang soalnya kalo diterjemahin):

“The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

You’re SO far from the truth hear Michael that this borders on complete journalistic incompetence.

Your post is factually inaccurate. The site was not “down for weeks” … we HAVE had a few *glitches* in the last couple of weeks but this is because Tailrank is on older technology which was (for the most part) upgraded last night.

I told you via email that there was NO story here but for some reason you decided to post anyway.

We’re FAR from being in the deadpool and are in fact planning a BIG announcement next week including changes to Tailrank and Spinn3r!

I told you this was part of an INFRASTRUCTURE upgrade that we were doing. The BIGGEST one we’ve done TO DATE!

If we were working on such a LARGE piece of technology WHY WOULD WE BE IN THE DEADPOOL?

We’re at the most healthiest point we’ve EVER been as a company. We actually need to start hiring again in the next few weeks.

Hell. We’re PROFITABLE AND HAVE NEVER TAKEN VC! How many companies out there can say that?

You can count them on one hand!

Seriously dude. This is complete nonsense. You owe me and all your readers an apology and a retraction."

Kalo kita lihat dari komentarnya, pertama, Kevin kesel kalau dia bilang ga ada apa-apa ke Michael jadi jangan dikasih tau orang lain. Eh, Michaelnya malah nyolot, diposting juga di Techcrunch. Otomatis ribuan orang yang pada baca bakalan ngira Tailrank lagi ada masalah. Kedua, Kevin kesel kalo TailRank dianggap sudah mendekati Deadpool. Dia menyanggah bahwa Tailrank tidak mendekati kematian tapi sedang menyiapkan rencana untuk pengumuman besar-besaran minggu depan termasuk produk barunya Spinn3r.

Hehehe... Michael Arrington emang gila juga. Tapi beginilah serunya orang barat sana ngasih kritik. Ga kira-kira. Ga pake perasaan. Bahkan untuk mengkritiknya bisa kayak intel. Pura-pura nanya trus dibantai dikolomnya.

Tapi asiknya, di akhir cerita, si Michael nutup perdebatan dengan elegan, katanya begini:
"Hei Kevin, situs lo berhenti beberapa minggu itu basi. Anggap aja ini pujian buat elo. Banyak startup yang mati dan ga hidup kembali. Sedangkan gue cerita begini biar elo dipacu supaya nongol lagi atau apalah istilahnya."

Asik yah. Ngomong-ngomong, kalau saya yang digunjing sama Michael, kira-kira apa yang yang bakal saya lakukan?
Diam membisu?
Lempar sendal?
Balas lewat blog ini?

Ah, saya sih diapain aja mau deh.