To all,
I think what we have here is part cross-cultural misunderstanding and part self-promotion.
If it was possible-san's intent to provide this material so that others might benefit, he could have easily uploaded it somewhere, said it was available through this forum while acknowledging the person who produced the PDF. Instead he used this site to inform us that the material was available to people (who register) on his site; i.e. he is using the material to promote his own site.
As for giving thanks to the one who produced the PDF, I do not think anyone would hesitate to do so. The problem here is that in the West we believe that expressions of appreciation are best expressed naturally when the feeling occurs in an individual. It would be only to children who have yet to learn how to act in the world would someone say, "say thank you!" But in Japan saying thank you is not about true expression of feeling, but is rather an expression related to proper form as a member of society. In Japan one can see such admonitions on the proper way to act all the time. For example, here is a sign that tells you to put your legs in while riding the train: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1144/538502614_7f1c4f3cdc.jpg. The expression of thanks may be accompanied by feeling in Japan, but it need not be. Basically, form takes precedent over feelings and it is through the mastery of form that Japanese believe one develops the proper inner responses.
Because how to act is grounded in form rather than feelings from within in Japan, it is not surprising for a Japanese adult to admonish another adult to behave a certain way. Of course to a Westerner such an act is rude not only because such admonition makes the recipient out to be a child, but because such admonition assumes that the recipient does not know the proper way to act. I think this is the real reason why possible-san's post gets people so riled up. I am sure if possible-san had used the method I had said earlier, there would have been many thanks from everyone. As it is, possible-san's perceived condescending manner coupled with the usage of the material to self-promote his site has led many to see him as rude and disingenuous.
Mebaqqer
P.S. I don't want the magazine and never did...