I don't necessarily disagree with any of this, but at the same time, performace is what it is. Not everyone likes NVIDIA hardware; you may find this hard to believe, but my previous video card was a 7900GT-on-AGP card from Gainward
Before that, I had an R350 (9800Pro 256mb) and even earlier, an R300 (9500np 128mb softmodded). If we continue going backwards, previous models were a GF3Ti200, a Voodoo2 SLI and a Riva 128.
The only reason I mention ALL of that is this: I have used a considerable amount of NV hardware over my years of toying in 3D, and I have used at least a few ATI cards also. The ATI's were my personal favorites. for reasons that are likely
only relevant to me. That is to say, my opinions don't necessarily dictate the opinions of everyone else.
I moved to the 7900 because I wanted more performance, and the 1900 series just didn't do much for me. But after using that card for two years, I wanted -- no, I
needed an ATi video card again -- for all the same opinionated reasons I had before.
This is what ATI is giving those who want their hardware, and I'm not about to tell them to stuff it. The performance of my pair of 3870's is excellent, the video quality is precisely what I expect and want, and I don't have to fidget with NVIDIA's control panel or drivers.
These things may not relate to you personally, but they do to me. So while you might label people as fanATIcs (and you know the NV version of this, don't you?
) it's likely because we really don't want NVIDIA's hardware. Maybe if NVIDIA had picked up the ball, they'd have something better to come back with too rather than a rehashed pair of their flagship processors strapped to a single PCB?