sure, you have the right to ignore the compilation outside of the Meteorfall chapter if you wish, as much as i have the right to ignore the law and break into someone's house (not advocating Burglary here), but you can not deny that which is canon when talking with others about the overall story, when someone mentions something out of the compilation you can't say it didn't exist just because you choose to ignore it, fact is only S-E decides what is canon, you can choose to ignore it if you wish, but ignoring it will not make it go away, and all your trite reasoning can not change it... the compilation is a product of supply and demand, fans demanded more of the FF VII Universe and S-E graciousely supplied it, they're trying to entertain you and you're like the guy that questions the commedian on every angel of the joke thus killing said joke. thus ruining the entertainment value by being over-analytical, sure S-E is making a fortune off of FF VII right now, hell they made a fortune off of the FF Series alone before VII, but wait that's what companies do, they make money off of other people, wow what a concept... as for the FF VII Universe being expanded and altered, that's the nature of an expanded universe, Knights of the Old Republic is part of the Star Wars Expanded Universe, but it is no less canon due to it not being part of the original trillogy, it is valid within the SW Timeline, just as the compilation is valid within the FF VII Timeline...