Hear, hear! Although you'd never know it from the photography literature available online and at the magazine racks. And too many photographers are, unfortunately, products of the media they consume - a media based on selling ads for products - so, too often gear becomes the discussion at photo clubs and many in forums as well. How often have we heard "Wow - you must have a good camera!" or something of to that effect. (Not here, mind you!)
Ignoring the banner ads above, it is in forums such as this that the true nature of photography as self-expression and photographs as products of people (not machines) can be discussed.
Mind you though that photography as a media has two different approaches, its the artistic one and the "snap" one. We surely can't deny one's right to take a snap of his son or of a church when in vacation, can we? I bet you that Eve was referring to photography as an art only. I would agree though that there are many users of cameras (among pros as well) who thing that actually they ARE DOING PHOTOGRAPHY, although in reality they only snap around. I would also agree that the industry will try anything to make them feel photographers... its just what industry does! Did you see the pictures that won NPCI the later years?

Its getting worst year by year! Regards, Theodoros.
www.fotometria.gr