The point i was making on my blog was that for this to be fair on people who write guidebooks (as its not a popular job asking for proof) its only fair if i provide some proof if asked for it without kicking off (most obviously give it willingly prior to a guide being written) this makes it fairer on writers (or web/ news reports/databases)rather than them having to single people out which ends up looking like a witch hunt for newbies and recluses.
..Which all quite obviously points to having video ascent of everything but that is not climbing, that is sport.
I think it boils down to which bit of climbing culture is the more important to preserve - the culture of honouring another's word and keeping some things unknowable; or the culture of recording accurate first ascent histories.
Another side of the video coin, I've spent a while in font with a yank friend over a few years, I've seen him repeat a lot of stuff, which he mostly videos. He then gets home at night and starts to edit it, a right hand close up looks better here a left foot there, til the problem almost looks surreal. His taste differs from mine. If you took one of these vids on its own you could pick flaws with every couple of moves, like people do. So watching that vid proves nothing apart from he can do a couple of moves, he's sat on the unedited version at home but he's an artist don't ya know...
Saying ask me if its not is a bit ridiculous.
I guess the point is that there is now no need to be a “lone wolf” since anyone with £20 and a pocket can take a portable unimpeachable witness to every crag
I'll toss an add-on into the mix. Climbing at your limit involves considerable mental stress to drown out all of the doubts/fears/etc. I've found on a personal level, that managing a video camera solo generally adds to the stress rather than diminishes it. And now you're asking me to film everything as proof? Not gonna happen. Video is great when there's a group, but I don't like it when I'm solo. I do it sometimes, but I don't like it....