Heh, I think people are getting way to obsessed over terminology here. I personally don't care what the definition of Speed Run, Time Attack, of Aesthetic is according to somebody. Because, according to those definitions, a video can be all three. There not mutually exclusive.
I think the problem stems from the term "cheating". How you define it is up to you, but I usually took it as "if the game lets you do it, it's not cheating". Cheating is breaking the rules. But who makes up the rules? Is it the game's coding? But then, is something like the Konami Code allowed to give one infinite life or ammo cheating, if it was part of the original coding? Is it just using a device or hacking the gaming?
In all honesty, this is an argument that can't be won, and has no point. The point that should be addressed is how to properly filter "game videos" into categories. As in, each video, whether it be with no aid, with the aid of an emulator, or the aid of a cheat or glitch, should have it's own "category".
That way, you can group everything and seperate it all. Thus, every type of video, regardless of your beliefs, has a viable place where it has some value.
Now, onto the issue some people brought about up "emulators let you cheat". Ok, first of all - as a "legit" speedrunner, I will say a bunch of my ability comes from "knowing" what to do. I play a game over and over, and memorize what to do and what will happen. This is what some people here do.
The difference is the "time" you have to memorize. Emus let you do seconds. Real runs can be mins to hours. But then the argument comes down to human memory and the capacity for execution of stored instruction. And this my friends, is a unique person to person issue. We're not all equal, and some people will have advantages. Like sports. Not everyone, even if they know what to do, can execute as well as others.
But yes, I get that "emus are like handicaps, they shrink the margin for error, let you record in mere seconds so you can redo stuff over and over". And to that I say, there HAS to be somebody who is just so good at a game, they could do what these runs let you. Nothing is impossible. It's just do you want it bad enough if you have the ability.
On another front, the "speed reduction", I'm going to have to take a scretch here and ask a "what if?" What if some day, we have technology to allow humans to alter the flow of time? What if a human, naturally, had the ability to perceive time at different speeds? Should they be penalized for their ability?
No.
This stems back to my idea. Everything should have its own category. That way, everyone goes home happy, that way everyone has a place.
If you wish to continue this debate on and on, so be it. You'll never reach an end the way most of you are going about it.
Besides, with this whole ordeal, we're sort of cheating ourselves. I don't know about you, but I first played a video game because it was fun. I'm sure people first made games to make something fun and entertaining (before money...).
If this isn't fun anymore, and it gets all argumentative and hateful as it is now, then you've just destroyed the spirit of gaming.
;)
Have a nice day.