Confirming you should read analysts with a grain of salt

The Horses for Sources blog of the HfS outsourcing community this week writes about a revelation by by Mark Smith, CEO Ventana Research, about the practice of some large technology verdors of paying research firms or analysts for the right to review and approve research by analysts before it is published. So, despite what you may think, the independent analysis you think you are reading my not be so independent and unbiased. Not so surprising really. The firms are in it to make money after all. 

Whatever you think of the practice, this informs how you should deal with the analysts, and Horses for Sources goes on to suggest a few questions you to ask your research firm before you rely on the research they provide to you.