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Manager, Technical Support at Logix Infosec Pvt. ltd.
Real User
A user-friendly solution with good UTM, web filtering, and IPS capabilities
Pros and Cons
  • "The best features of Fortinet FortiGate are UTM, web filtering, and IPS."
  • "Fortinet FortiGate is a very light product. It's easy to understand."
  • "Fortinet should improve its software, as we are seeing lots of firmware versions generated for each vulnerability issue. It becomes difficult for us to keep updating the firmware frequently due to bugs."
  • "Fortinet should improve its software, as we are seeing lots of firmware versions generated for each vulnerability issue. It becomes difficult for us to keep updating the firmware frequently due to bugs."

What is our primary use case?

The main use cases for Fortinet FortiGate are in the data centers, mainly for web filtering, IPS, and IDS.

What is most valuable?

The best features of Fortinet FortiGate are UTM, web filtering, and IPS. We have Palo Alto firewalls in place. The ease of integrating SD-WAN capabilities depends on the requirements of the customer.

Fortinet FortiGate is a very light product. It's easy to understand.

What needs improvement?

Fortinet should improve its software, as we are seeing lots of firmware versions generated for each vulnerability issue. It becomes difficult for us to keep updating the firmware frequently due to bugs. 

We would like to see the SSL VPN feature included again in Fortinet FortiGate since it was removed from version 7.6.3 onwards. 

For DDoS protection, there can be more features in Fortinet FortiGate.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Fortinet FortiGate for about 15 years.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

As implementers, we find it easy to scale up.

We have about 100 people, and we are using Fortinet FortiGate 60.

How are customer service and support?

I would rate Fortinet tech support a nine out of ten based on my experience.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We also work with Palo Alto firewalls. The main difference is in the software. Palo Alto's database is also updated for threat analysis. If you are installing a Palo Alto firewall for the first time, it is a bit complex, but with Fortinet FortiGate, the implementation is easiest, as the tabs are easy to understand.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend it. It is user-friendly.

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate as an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Implementer
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Service manager at Crescent Technologies
Reseller
Top 5
Centralized manageability streamlines operations but renewal pricing concerns persist
Pros and Cons
  • "Fortinet FortiGate has positively impacted my organization, offering ease of management with no network disruptions; it works seamlessly."
  • "Fortinet FortiGate is not a scalable solution, as they give you a number and each box comes with concurrent connections; if you need to expand, you have to change the box."

What is our primary use case?

The typical use case for Fortinet FortiGate is because of the user-friendly interface.

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiGate's best features are the manageability part and centralized management. The community support available for Fortinet FortiGate is also a significant advantage. Fortinet FortiGate has positively impacted my organization, offering ease of management with no network disruptions; it works seamlessly.

What needs improvement?

The room for improvement for Fortinet FortiGate is related to prices; the renewal prices have to be aligned with the customer's pockets, as at times they are very aggressive, leading to the possibility of changing vendors.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have experience of working with Fortinet FortiGate for more than 10 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have faced no trouble with the stability; it works seamlessly, and the support is good, as most of the time customers themselves can resolve issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate is not a scalable solution, as they give you a number and each box comes with concurrent connections; if you need to expand, you have to change the box.

How are customer service and support?

I would rate technical support a seven on a scale of one to ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Before Fortinet FortiGate, we used SonicWALL, Sophos, and GuardShield for our customers.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup varies from customer to customer, as we are a system integrator, having sold more than 500 plus boxes.

What about the implementation team?

We have expertise in integrating SD-WAN capabilities with FortiGate, but I'm not the right person to comment on it.

What was our ROI?

The ROI after implementing Fortinet solution means that while it is there, they have now become very expensive; for example, if I buy a product for 10 lakhs INR today, after three years they will ask for 15 lakhs, which is a major concern for customers.

What other advice do I have?

My advice to other organizations considering Fortinet FortiGate is to evaluate the features of other products as well, as Sophos also does a great job, but users may not adopt it due to its presence. 

On a scale from one to ten, I would rate Fortinet FortiGate overall as seven.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. reseller
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DineshKumar28 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Manager at Cognizant
Real User
Top 20
Effective threat prevention with responsive customer support
Pros and Cons
  • "It has a good UI and overall integration, including FortiGate Manager for controlling all firewalls from a single place."
  • "The anti-malware engine could use an upgrade."

What is our primary use case?

We are using Fortinet FortiGate as a firewall.

How has it helped my organization?

Fortinet FortiGate has been invaluable. It has helped save costs due to its various features, reliable performance, very good UI, low latency, and stability.

What is most valuable?

The Threat Intel engine in Fortinet FortiGate is highly rated for its effectiveness in threat prevention. It has a good UI and overall integration, including FortiGate Manager for controlling all firewalls from a single place.

What needs improvement?

The anti-malware engine could use an upgrade. It should automatically classify and sandbox malicious packets with more granular controls, including providing details like TV numbers.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Initially, we faced some issues with updates due to network factors needing to be white-listed in the proxy. These problems have since been resolved, and we are not facing any issues now.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

While I don't have a clear picture of scalability, we scale up in different regions based on the number of users and the amount of load. This is typically handled by architecture teams.

How are customer service and support?

Customer support is very responsive, addressing queries in a timely manner. I would rate the customer support ten out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We have also used Palo Alto Firewalls and Fortinet FortiGate. Fortinet FortiGate has a better UI and overall integration, including FortiGate Manager for single-place control over all firewalls.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward and easy, thanks to the support provided. I would rate the ease of setup ten out of ten.

What about the implementation team?

We had the help of the end-of-support team for the setup, which made the process quite straightforward and easy.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The price is reasonable for our company. The finance team handles the specifics regarding the license costs.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated Palo Alto NG Firewalls before settling on Fortinet FortiGate.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
IT Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 20
Improves security and network distribution
Pros and Cons
  • "Fortinet FortiGate is used to prevent security failures. Since implementing the solution, we have seen improvements in security and in the distribution of our network."
  • "The quick resolution of issues with Fortinet FortiGate is due to the support of the company and the fact that the equipment is easy to work with."
  • "In my opinion, Fortinet FortiGate could be improved by making the appliance smaller than what we have here, as it is pretty big."
  • "In my opinion, Fortinet FortiGate could be improved by making the appliance smaller than what we have here, as it is pretty big."

What is our primary use case?

Fortinet FortiGate is used just to manage our network because our network is managed by another company. I work in a small to medium-sized industry.

What is most valuable?

Fortinet FortiGate is used to prevent security failures. Since implementing the solution, we have seen improvements in security and in the distribution of our network.

What needs improvement?

In my opinion, Fortinet FortiGate could be improved by making the appliance smaller than what we have here, as it is pretty big.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Fortinet FortiGate for three or four years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate is better for large enterprise networking compared to MikroTik because we have about 100 people using our network, and we have had few problems compared to the time we were using MikroTik, which didn't work for us as well as the Fortinet FortiGate 200D does.

How are customer service and support?

We never have any issue or problem that hasn't been solved in two or three hours. The quick resolution of issues with Fortinet FortiGate is due to the support of the company and the fact that the equipment is easy to work with. Fortinet FortiGate does not require a lot of maintenance.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We have been using Fortinet FortiGate for three or four years, and before that, we used MikroTik. We switched to Fortinet FortiGate because the company that provides service for us started to work with Fortinet FortiGate as a partner, and they showed it to us. We liked it, and we started to use the Fortinet FortiGate solution.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup for Fortinet FortiGate was pretty easy, and they completed it in one hour and a half.

What about the implementation team?

Two people worked to support us on Fortinet FortiGate. One of their job roles was manager, and I don't know the other role.

What other advice do I have?

My advice for people thinking about using Fortinet FortiGate is that you have to try to understand your necessities first. Make a comparison with other players in the market and have a good company to manage the equipment if you don't have the competence to do it yourself, preferably a third company that does this for you. 

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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IT Manager at King Exports - India
Real User
Top 20
Ransomware protection enhances security across multiple locations
Pros and Cons
  • "The security features are valuable, particularly the ransomware attack protection features. Fortinet FortiGate provides excellent security against ransomware attacks."
  • "Fortinet FortiGate provides excellent security against ransomware attacks."
  • "The things we require are already sorted out, so there isn't any scope for improvement as far as our requirements go. However, its price can be better."
  • "It is somewhat expensive compared to other solutions such as Sophos."

What is our primary use case?

We are using it for security purposes. We have deployed it across multiple locations where we are already using it.

What is most valuable?

The security features are valuable, particularly the ransomware attack protection features. Fortinet FortiGate provides excellent security against ransomware attacks.

What needs improvement?

It contains every feature that is required. The things we require are already sorted out, so there isn't any scope for improvement as far as our requirements go. However, its price can be better.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using it for more than one and a half months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's stable. I would rate it an eight out of ten for stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's scalable. I would rate it a nine out of ten for scalability.

I am handling all the operations. We have multiple staff members at multiple locations.

How are customer service and support?

Coming from a technical background, there hasn't been any requirement to speak with customer care representatives. The manual provided covers everything comprehensively.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have experience with Sophos, Fortinet FortiGate, and SonicWall.

How was the initial setup?

We purchased it through our vendor. Our company doesn't prefer to make purchases through online shopping platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart.

What was our ROI?

We have seen a return on investment of more than 20%.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It is somewhat expensive compared to other solutions such as Sophos.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend it to others. I would rate Fortinet FortiGate a nine out of ten. There isn't a need to compare it with anyone else because Fortinet FortiGate is at the top of the market.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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Network engineer at pyramid it solutions pvt ltd
Real User
Cost-efficient, straightforward to use, and easy to deploy
Pros and Cons
  • "The best features of Fortinet FortiGate include the simple user interface."
  • "The best features of Fortinet FortiGate include the simple user interface."
  • "Areas that have room for improvement in Fortinet FortiGate include support and GUI enhancement."
  • "The technical support that Fortinet provides is not satisfactory. When we call Fortinet technical support, it takes too much time to connect with them."

What is our primary use case?

The use case for Fortinet FortiGate primarily refers to firewall functionality. 

What is most valuable?

The best features of Fortinet FortiGate include the simple user interface. The GUI is in English with intuitive navigation. It is very easy to find solutions, meaning it is simple to locate what we need and which settings we need to modify through the GUI.

We have integrated FortiGate SD-WAN. It's working pretty well.

What needs improvement?

Areas that have room for improvement in Fortinet FortiGate include support and GUI enhancement. While the GUI is already simple, further improvements would greatly benefit them.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate for one year in this organization.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability of Fortinet FortiGate as eight out of ten, as it has proven to be reliable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate is scalable. We primarily deal with small and medium businesses, and for our clients in this segment, it works effectively.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support that Fortinet provides is not satisfactory. When we call Fortinet technical support, it takes too much time to connect with them. The process is complicated, requiring us to hold for many minutes, and when we visit clients, we are not satisfied with their technical support.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We work with five firewall vendors, including Fortinet, Cisco, Palo Alto, SonicWall, and Sophos. We have specialists for their products.

We first recommend Fortinet FortiGate or Palo Alto. If a customer cannot afford Palo Alto, we recommend Fortinet FortiGate. If they cannot afford Fortinet FortiGate, we recommend Sophos or SonicWall.

When comparing security policies, Palo Alto is superior to Fortinet FortiGate, but Fortinet FortiGate is adequate. For businesses with higher requirements, we recommend Palo Alto due to its advanced security features, while for small and medium businesses, we suggest firewalls based on their specific requirements.

How was the initial setup?

Deployment of Fortinet FortiGate is straightforward. If the customer requires, we can configure it from our end and deploy it directly.

Our clients are small and medium-sized businesses. They can't afford the cloud. They take the device and install it on-premises.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Fortinet FortiGate is cost-efficient. Palo Alto is expensive, but Fortinet FortiGate is not.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend Fortinet FortiGate because the GUI is understandable for English speakers, and the configuration is straightforward. 

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
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Jose Gisbert - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager Network (IT/OT) at a consumer goods company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Top 5
Is flexible, easy to configure, and provides good visibility into our devices
Pros and Cons
  • "The flexibility and ease of configuration are the most valuable features."
  • "The inability to scale the FortiAnalyzer to match our growth necessitates the purchase of new hardware."

What is our primary use case?

Our organization utilizes Fortinet FortiGate for SD-WAN. All business units within our organization connect to the SD-WAN, which is constructed using Fortinet devices.

The primary reason we implemented Fortinet FortiGate was to enhance connectivity. Our previous reliance on MPLS resulted in low bandwidth and high costs. By transitioning to SD-WAN devices and leveraging common ISP connections, we have achieved two significant goals: substantial cost savings and increased flexibility in configuring device communications across our various plants.

How has it helped my organization?

FortiGate offers us the capability to provide visibility into and segmentation of our industrial devices. We are currently implementing this for the LAN, and we are migrating firewalls to Fortinet FortiGate devices. In this process, we are separating the operational network from the IT network.

Knowing that some of Fortinet's devices can be used in harsh environments that's nice to have. But that's something that is not needed right now just because we are only using them in very few places. These devices are specifically used to prevent intrusions in harsh environments. 

These devices help to control network traffic with OT-specific protocols. The LAN firewalls we have implemented are purchased with the functionality of network-specific modules to enable the management of network traffic with OT-specific protocols.

The approved offerings help us achieve our budgetary goals. We are adapting the budget to align with the devices provided by Fortinet. We are doing this because we can utilize Fortinet. Therefore, all of our budgets should take this into account as well.

The decision to utilize Fortinet stems from its ability to integrate with our preferred vendors. We have plans to implement both ClearPass and Nozomi as part of our OT cybersecurity strategy, both of which offer API-based interfaces for connecting to FortiGate devices. This interoperability is crucial for our organization.

The combination of FortiGate and FortiManager provides a comprehensive overview of all the firewalls we manage. It is very convenient to have everything centralized in one place.

FortiGate has helped reduce the risk of cyberattacks that could disrupt our production, which is one of our primary goals.

We were not affected by any cybersecurity attacks that would have impacted our production operations. However, we have a comprehensive plan in place to address such incidents. FortiManager enables us to block essential protocols and implement security measures across all business units if we detect a security breach in one area. This centralized approach ensures that the security measures we implement are consistently applied throughout the organization.

FortiGate has aided in centralizing the management of our network and security operations. The impact of this on the operational efficiency of our industrial network depends on how we organize it. Centralized management has significantly simplified management tasks. However, we require a dedicated team capable of addressing the diverse needs of different plants and business units, implementing necessary changes, and resolving any issues that arise. A single point of contact facilitates this process. In this regard, we have not only improved operational efficiency but also consolidated our management structure, reducing the need for multiple teams scattered across different countries.

FortiGate provides us with actionable data that helps us make informed decisions about the appropriate actions to take. Additionally, we utilize FortiAnalyzer to analyze the type of traffic we are experiencing, potential issues, and other relevant information. Furthermore, we monitor CPU memory, bandwidth, and other metrics associated with various IP connections using Fortinet devices. This monitoring is conducted across multiple firewalls. By employing these tools, we can ensure that any changes we make are the correct ones and are made for the right reasons.

The implementation of Fortinet's Security Fabric has significantly enhanced the security of our industrial control system. Previous solutions were unable to effectively manage the diverse protocols employed in this environment, resulting in operational and technological limitations. However, with the introduction of the new security fabric, we are now able to address these challenges and achieve a more robust security posture.

The Fortinet Security Fabric helps us reduce our mean time to remediation. With all its tools and centralized management, it's much easier to identify and resolve issues, leading to improved overall security posture.

Fortinet helped mature our approach to cybersecurity for protecting our industrial equipment.

What is most valuable?

The flexibility and ease of configuration are the most valuable features.

What needs improvement?

Overall, we are satisfied with the product. However, we encounter occasional capacity issues. The FortiAnalyzer, being a hardware appliance, has limited expansion capabilities. As our organization has grown, we've outpaced the FortiAnalyzer's performance. The inability to scale the FortiAnalyzer to match our growth necessitates the purchase of new hardware. This is an area that could be improved. If we anticipate reaching the size of six countries within the next five years, investing in a solution that can accommodate such growth would be more cost-effective than repeatedly purchasing new hardware. The ability to scale the FortiAnalyzer in tandem with our growth would be a significant improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Fortinet FortiGate for over three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

FortiGate is now stable. We experienced some difficulties in the beginning, possibly due to some bugs we encountered. However, for approximately the past six months, we have been closely monitoring various ratings for FortiOS versions. As a result, we are currently running only on mature versions. Since then, we have observed that the device is significantly more stable than before.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability for the FortiManger and the devices themselves is a nine out of ten but for the FortiAnalyzer it is a six out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

On the few occasions that we have needed to use technical support, we have found them to be responsive.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We used different solutions such as Cisco, Watchguard and Sophos in different countries, and one of the reasons we switched to FortiGate was to standardize what we used in all the countries.

The FortiManager is one of the biggest advantages they have. From a single management point, we can manage all the devices connected to the support manager. This is something I haven't seen before. So, in that sense, I would say that the most important difference between FortiGate and other vendors is the FortiManager.

How was the initial setup?

Due to the extensive network, the deployment spanned several months; however, on a site-by-site basis, each deployment was completed within a few hours. We had a minimum of two people per country involved in the deployment with 1-2 people from Central IT.

What about the implementation team?

It was a mixed team vendor - in-house. The vendor expertise was really good and I would rate it on a 9 out of 10.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

FortiGate's pricing falls within the mid-range when compared to other leading firewall solutions. While it's more expensive than Sophos, it's more affordable than Palo Alto.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate eight out of ten.

We have FortiGate deployed across multiple locations with 120 firewalls.

I suggest testing FortiGate. For organizations looking for an affordable solution, with good management and initial management, Fortinet FortiGate is the right choice.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Operator at Mohammed Mansour Alrumiah
Real User
Top 20
Meets various needs and it's cost-effective and simple
Pros and Cons
  • "The best features of Fortinet FortiGate are its simplicity, ease of installation, and ease of functionality."
  • "Fortinet FortiGate is a very good next-generation firewall."
  • "I would like to see improvements in Fortinet FortiGate regarding the active-active scenario. The active-active scenario is supported but not recommended, whereas other vendors are implementing active-active without issues. Perhaps in the future, we could effectively use both firewalls to increase the throughput. If there are two boxes, they both should be able to work."
  • "I would like to see improvements in Fortinet FortiGate regarding the active-active scenario. The active-active scenario is supported but not recommended, whereas other vendors are implementing active-active without issues."

What is our primary use case?

We are using Fortinet FortiGate for enterprises. We are a partner of Fortinet.

How has it helped my organization?

Its features are very good for the price. Their support is also very good. A lot of expertise is available in the market in terms of engineers. 

What is most valuable?

The best features of Fortinet FortiGate are its simplicity, ease of installation, and ease of functionality. It is very easy to learn and implement, and everything is clear. The deployment of Fortinet FortiGate is very straightforward. 

What needs improvement?

I would like to see improvements in Fortinet FortiGate regarding the active-active scenario. The active-active scenario is supported but not recommended, whereas other vendors are implementing active-active without issues. Perhaps in the future, we could effectively use both firewalls to increase the throughput. If there are two boxes, they both should be able to work.

Other than that, I don't have anything. I'm very happy with the features.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate regularly for a few months only, though I have previously encountered one or two installations.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Fortinet FortiGate is very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

There are multiple options available for small, mid-sized, and large-scale deployments.

How are customer service and support?

My experience with the technical support for Fortinet FortiGate is very good. I only had one bad experience. I would rate them a nine out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

It is very straightforward to deploy.

In terms of maintenance, many features are automated, including antivirus updates that happen regularly without intervention. Simply connecting the firewall to the internet enables automatic downloads of everything.

What was our ROI?

It was recently implemented, so it is too early for that assessment.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It is very cost-effective. You get features similar to other firewalls, such as Palo Alto, but at a lower price.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I have not worked extensively with Palo Alto, but from various comparisons, Fortinet FortiGate is understood to be a cost-effective version of Palo Alto. While Palo Alto has more features, Fortinet FortiGate offers similar functionality.

What other advice do I have?

Currently, we are not using SD-WAN, but we will implement it as it is a very impressive built-in feature. We will implement it for one of our customers in the near future.

Fortinet FortiGate is a very good next-generation firewall. It is not very expensive and offers plenty of models to suit various needs. The licensing options are extensive. The day-zero protection is very good. FortiCloud is also excellent. The geo-protection is effective and serves its purpose. 

I would rate Fortinet FortiGate a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: July 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Fortinet FortiGate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.