Giving thanks to what really counts -- You

On a day where people give thanks for all of those things or people they cherish, I thought I should do the same. But instead of giving thanks for my HDTVs or digital camera, I wanted to take this moment to thank you -- the reader.

For those of you who may have come late to Digital Home, this site started back in June with not one reader. Since then, Digital Home has grown exponentially (I can't discuss exact figures, but know that traffic is extremely high for a site with only four full months under its belt). And the only reason for that is you.

Through these last four months, you've read through my biting commentary on topics ranging from video games to Google to Microsoft and Apple. You've listened to me tell you thathotel rooms annoy meand Microsoft should abandon that Vista cow. You've even seen me cut up new products and find value in others. But when it was all said and done, you read them. And whether or not you agreed with what I said doesn't matter. Because in the end, I truly believe that we want the same things regardless of our opinions on a given topic -- the very best from companies, products and solutions.

If you notice, I rarely (if ever) jump into the comments section to debate facts with readers. And while some have asked why I'm not more "interactive with my readers", my answer is quite simple: my job is to take a stand on an issue and let you have a discussion and debate. My role in our continuing relationship is to become the catalyst for debate -- not to engage in it.

Still other times people have asked how I can let personal insults just "go by." It's simple: I don't take anything personal. And while many in my profession may do that, I simple tell them to "get a grip." In fact, I actually find some of the insults quite funny. One of my favorites: "Hey Don, your third-grade teacher called and he's asking for his student back." Honestly, that was one of the most creative comments I've seen in a while.

So in the end, what's my goal with Digital Home? Simply put, it's not to supplant your other favorite sites or become yet another predictable offering on the Web. Instead, I want Digital Home to be a place you visit everyday expecting hard-nosed commentary on tough tech issues that make you think. Do you need to agree? Of course not! In fact, I like hearing the other side of the coin to get a feeling for where other people stand. But in the end, I want to make Digital Home a place where you can always engage in a lively discussion about the topics that face our lives.

But the only way to do that is to keep you engaged. Believe it or not, I spend most of my days researching topics trying to find the most compelling issue to discuss. And, luckily for me, all of those topics are things that I'm extremely passionate about.

A few people (about 5) have asked that I "tone down" my writing and make it less subjective. And to them, I offer them a big, hearty "NO." I believe in subjective journalism and I believe that journalism is worth nothing if it doesn't make people think. If you don't agree with what I say, then so be it. But creating a dialog to stimulate change is what I attempt to do and I can't do that through "objective journalism." Simply put, objective journalism is boring, adds nothing to a conversation and is employed by the vast majority of "journalists" today. Luckily for them, I won't be taking their "fair and balanced" jobs.

In the coming weeks, Digital Home will be coming to you in more ways than one. And while I can't divulge any information at this point, I hope you support my new endeavor as staunchly as you have this site. And going forward, you can expect the same biting commentary you have come to expect from me. Honest to goodness, my style will not change because a few people don't like to engage in debate. The Digital Home is a bastion of debate, discussion and ultimately, change. And if you're down with that, then keep coming back for more.

Once again, I want to thank you all for being such a supportive force on Digital Home and even following my writing to the other ends of the Internet on other publications. You really don't know how much I appreciate each and every one of you.

Have a happy Thanksgiving and I'll see you back here on Friday to discuss some tech.

-Don