That's a very different business model. We run press releases that seem interesting or relevant for our readers, but we would never accept money for running a press release or article.
We want to make it really clear for our readers which parts of the site are editorial, and which are paid for.
Part of it is that I'm betting that a focus on serving readers will help our circulation -- advertorials tend not to do well with audiences, even though they do bring in more money.
Part of it is that the primary goal of Hypergrid Business isn't to support OpenSim vendors, but to support OpenSim customers. For the past 15 years, as a technology journalist, I've always had an enterprise focus rather than a vendor focus, and the publications I work for tend to have the same approach. It wouldn't feel right to do it differently here.
Finally, I'm betting on the long term. I think that this sector is going to explode, and the editorial opportunities are just going to keep growing. I already file the occasional OpenSim-related article for one of the bigger pubs I work for (such as the MOSES article last year for Network World). I couldn't do that if I was in bed with any of the vendors.
Plus, something like that would pretty much destroy my career.
I know that people in these comments casually toss around accusations that I'm on the payroll of this grid or that grid or that hosting company... I try not to let it get to me. Every journalist is accused of bias at some point. There's a saying "if everyone hates you, you know you're doing something right." Of course, there are some journalists who are actually on the take -- and when it gets out, they're done. Their careers are over. And it does get out. Everyone blabs, especially in the media and PR industries.