Adam, I agree that the Foodservice forum is pretty anti-dealer. What's worse, is that the dealers on there seem to be either shamelessly pushing their products, or fighting with other dealers. No one wonder the restaurant owners who participate don't really want them around.
I know we're all competing for the same business at some level, but I am continually amazed at the level of bitterness and animosity I see locally and within the forums. There have been times where my customers have told somebody was saying stuff about me personally, whom I've never even met! Anyway, I have lurked in that forum for quite a while, but I rarely post because I don't want to be sucked in silly, time consuming-and eventually fruitless-debates.
I am not taking sides on this issue. You both make fair points. Radiant has had some shady business practices in the past, but I think you can find a bad review on any company if you look hard enough (and I say all this NOT being fan of Radiant as a whole). Channels of distribution are still huge in this industry. Radiant has resellers to have those dealers provide local sales and service to customers, and in turn these resellers expect to have some kind of exclusive on the products and services they provide, to make them more competitive. I agree with Postech in spirit, that it seems silly and petty in this day and age-to try and prevent someone else from providing even service for your product-it seems kind of backwards. But that seems to be he predominant business model in this industry since the mid-90s.
I appreciate the help you've provided in the past Adam, and I hope you stick around. If anything, your willingness to come on here and share information that you don't have to (for nothing in return) shows that you are obviously not one of the crappy dealers postech is talking about. Postechs comments have merit, but you don't represent what he is talking about, and that's being lost in translation.