KIZ100 posts from TMF
Having no current IOM position, but trying to decide whether and when to reenter, today I have been reading the TMF IOM boards, which I've neglected for 2 months. As many of you know, there is a poster by the handle of KIZ100, who has been pretty negative on IOM. He seemed like another Rocky, only more informed, but with frequent rantings about people killing him if he reveals too much. You get the idea. Anyway, he seems to have calmed down, admits he was joking with the Ninja hit men thing, and has posted some interesting stuff. Even TMF Aruba gives him his due. So, because I had not seen any reference to this here yet, I thought I'd post some of it. If nothing else, some interesting drama for a Sunday night. Around the time of these posts, I couldn't keep up with this thread, so if these were already discussed, my apologies.
Where necessary, for flow, I include some if the responses that prompted KIZ100 to say more. Also, my notes are preceded by "EP:"
I pick up after a post where KIZ100 flat out stated that he designed ZIP.
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Subject: Re: What caused "Click of Death"?
Author: TMF2Arubaÿÿÿ Date: 1/31/98 3:24:50 PM (ET)
<<I can tell you this much: I designed the Zip drive!!!>>
Hmmm...
Are you implying that you're a disgruntled employee? Is there an axe to grind, perchance?
I'm not trying to egg you on, here, but in truth, you're posts have been a bit mysterious.
I would tend to think that the design of the hugely successful Zip Drive did not fall on only one person.
Tony
...but I still am...
Off2Aruba
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Subject: Re: What caused "Click of Death"?
Author: kiz100ÿÿÿ Date: 1/31/98 3:51:56 PM (ET)
Off2Aruba:
You're right. Zip started with a nine-person group including mechanical, channel, HDI, servo, spin, and FW. Then the group became 11 people. Then, more...
In fact, no disk drive can be designed by one person. It is just too complex.
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Subject: To WARDS
Author: kiz100ÿÿÿ Date: 1/31/98 12:34:46 PM (ET)
YOUR QUESTIONS: btw, did the company fire you after you designed their hottest product? Did you get offered a gillion bucks a year to work for caleb?
MY ANSWER:
Yes, I was fired by Iomega after I completed the design of the first generation of Zip. It was May, 1995. The reason was that I pointed out some potential technical problems associated with the Zip deisgn. Iomega did not want to hear the negative news since it was so successful. In my comments about the Zip design, there were a few issues that could cause the COD. Frankly speaking, at the time, I had not seen one. However, I predicted the similar problem using different terms.
I am unemployed. Therefore, there is no "gillion bucks" offered by anyone at this time.
After I left Iomega in May, 1995. I had worked for Seagate, Maxtor, Quantum, SyQuest and OR. Some were consulting jobs. I decided to take a break in 1997 after many years of hard work.
KIZZZZZZZING
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Subject: TO KIZ
Author: wardsÿÿÿ Date: 1/31/98 12:58:47 PM (ET)
So, Kiz, since you're proclaiming to have designed the Zip drive, and therefore disclosing your identity (SOMEone will know you from that tidbit) does this mean you are no longer worried about the ninja hit squad?
That's a lot of jobs in 2 1/2 years. Did all those companies fire you for the reasons similar to Iomega's?
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Subject: Re: TO KIZ
Author: kiz100ÿÿÿ Date: 1/31/98 3:42:45 PM (ET)
Did I tell you that I worked as a consultant for them? In fact, Iomega wants me back. They admited that it was a mistake to let me go. BTW, I was a consultant for Iomega, not a salaried permanent employee.
I was just joking about the "ninja". In fact, I was associated with a HDD company last year when I posted the news about the Sony HiFD. Today the situation is different: I am unemployed.
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Subject: KIZ
Author: TMF2Arubaÿÿÿ Date: 1/31/98 4:09:49 PM (ET)
Okay, I've got to be honest...
Kiz, your last several posts have shown that you obviously seem to know what you're talking about regarding the technology of the drives. I've actually started to respect what you have to say.
That said,
Could you offer your thoughts on a true, unbiased comparison of the technologies out there now--specifically IOM's products compared with the competition.
I think there are a lot of people who could learn from this. Thanks!
Tony
...but I still am...
Off2Aruba
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Subject: Re: KIZ
Author: kiz100ÿÿÿ Date: 1/31/98 4:57:29 PM (ET)
>>> Could you offer your thoughts on a true, unbiased comparison of the technologies out there now--specifically IOM's products compared with the competition.
<<<
It is very difficult to compare Iomega's products with the competition because they are apples and oranges.
I'll try my best to post what I have seen in the area of removable disk drives. Be patient coz it will take more than one post.
Let's talk about flexible media first.
There are several KNOWN Zip competitors in world today, namely, Sony FiFD, LS120, Swan/Mitsumi UHC130, and Caleb UHD144. They all use different technologies. Everyone claims itself is the best to replace the 3.5" floppy.
Zip100 was code named Vitamin C. It used the 3.5" flexible media HDI developed for a canceled project called "Aspen". Aspen had 4 disks in a cartridge with capacity up to 420MB. The Aspen drive used 8 read/write heads with dog leg suspension and rotory actuator. The main goal of Aspen was to compete with SyQuest in 1994. When KE came to Iomega on 1/1/1994, he changed the business plan for Iomega. First, he laid off 30% workforce on 1/2/94. Second, he initiated a marketing survey. Third, he sold BOSCO (it became OR Tech later.). Based on the market study, KE killed Aspen and splitted it into two famous projects: Vitamin C and Viper. Vitamin C inherited the HDI and FW while Viper used most of the ASpen mechanics including actuator, ejection system, etc..
Vitamin C definitely was a breakthrough in both technology and marketing. Everyone must be familiar with the NPI of Zip in Comdex94.
Some brief comparison between Zip and competitors HDI technologies:
Zip - Fuji Film media, 30% MIG head, "near" contact recording.
HiFD - Fuji Film media, unknown (new) head design, flying recording.
LS120 - 3M media, MIG head, contact recording.
UHC130 - MCC media, MIG head, special flying HDI.
UND140 - Unknow media (multiple?), MIG head, near contact recording.
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Subject: Re: KIZ
Author: kiz100ÿÿÿ Date: 1/31/98 5:44:08 PM (ET)
When Iomega started Vitamin C, it had never thought that Zip would be so successful and never had a plan to make Zip as a new floppy standard. As a matter of fact, Iomega considered the backward compatibility to the 3.5" floppy at the beginning. It finally made the decision not to include the backward compatibility due to (1) impact on the schedule; (2) Zip not a replacement of 3.5" floppy.
Zip was a life-saving product for Iomega, therefore, Iomega did not want to take the risk to add the backward compatibility. When Iomega realized that the Zip could be a potential new standard, it was already too late.
Today, although Iomega says that the backward compatibility is not an isuue, my source has told me that they are worried now.
An industry analyst said that if Zip was a new standard, it should have already been one 1 year ago.
I was one of Zip designers, I am definitely proud of the product. I think it is a great drive. However, everything has its life cycle. The 3.5" floppy has had a "long" life; it's pretty amazing.
When people saw Iomega made so much money in the flexible media market, they came. Sony, Swan/Mitsumi, OR/Imation, and Caleb are some among them.
Personally, I felt that Zip and UHD are the foreunners. However, Sony can be dangerous too. LS120 is dying. UHC have had many troubles and its technology is unstable.
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EP: A veritable KIZ100 love-fest ensued. A tech oriented item in the middle of it:
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Subject: Re: Kiz: Market can be a good place to work
Author: kiz100ÿÿÿ Date: 2/1/98 1:01:47 PM (ET)
It is fun to talk about the technology, isn't it?
>>>I sought Sony uses two heads of different width to make their vapor drive backward compatible, I
do not know if they need two arms to do it right.
<<<
I believe it is one head with two transducers. The spacing of the two transducers isn't too crucial, since they deal with different formats. I am sure that two transducer head is more expensive than the single gap head.
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Subject: Thanks
Author: kiz100ÿÿÿ Date: 1/31/98 11:10:11 PM (ET)
Thanks, guys.
Well, I have not transformed, I am just in a different position now. I was employed and am not, remember?
A few words about Clik!
First, it might be a mistake to use the name "Clik!", reminding people the COD.
Second, Clik! is a derivative of n.hand. When Iomega began n.hand, the potential of the market was still unclear. n.hand was targeted at the portable electronics. Maxtor had a cute little drive called MobileMax. It was a PCMCIA 1.8" HDD. It failed because the market was not there for it in 1994/1995. So the question is how BIG the market is for Clik!?
Third, some people said that Clik! was a "NEW" technology. I would say that Clik! is an "OLD" technology with a new appearance. If you look at the Clik! specs carefully, it is easy to find the numbers are same as these of a Zip. It is a "baby" Zip: it uses the same head, the same media, and the same electronics. The big difference is the mechanics including package, actuator, spin motor, etc..
Clik! was initially developed in Roy, Utah. Now the project is transfered to San Diego, CA. Shipping in August? I doubt it.
Let's assume Clik! NPI in August, how fast Clik! can catch the market is a big question. OEM's are very hard to work with. It may take up to six months to get qualified. In addition, Iomega has had no experience in working with home electronics companies.
Another assumption: Clik! is a great success. Iomega has to spend millions of dollars to market it. Clik! is a special beast: the compatibility is not a major issue. If I know how to develop a similar product, I will do so after Iomega does all the market for me. In fact, I know someone is working on technologies BETTER and CHEAPER than Clik!. These people are just waiting for the right time.
Clik! is a nightmare for mechanical and servo engineers even with the help of shock/vib sensors (also a cost issue). Clik! will be used in your hand. How steady can you hold a camera when Clik! is writing? I am very interested to see how Iomega engineers solve the shock/vibration problem. They do have many good engineers.
In a nutshell, the market for Clik! is unclear, the technology is a little harder than Zip, and stronge competition will emerge if Clik! is successful.
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Subject: Re: Thanks
Author: TMF2Arubaÿÿÿ Date: 2/1/98 12:55:10 PM (ET)
<<Clik! is a nightmare for mechanical and servo engineers even with the help of shock/vib sensors (also a cost issue). Clik! will be used in your hand. How steady can you hold a camera when Clik! is writing? I am very interested to see how Iomega engineers solve the shock/vibration problem. They do have many good engineers.>>
This is a very intriguing question. Please excuse my ignorance here, as I may be way off track with this.
Would it be possible for the technology to incorporate some kind of stablizing device when Clik! is writing similar to those of camcorders when they are recording? My guess is that for this to be done, the mechanism would have to be in the camera, as truthfully how much technology can really be added to a disk. But I'd like your thoughts on this.
Again, Kiz, thanks very much for your insight here. It's refreshing, thought-provoking and very interesting. All of which adds greatly for all of us in understanding our company and our investments.
Tony
...but I still am...
Off2Aruba
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>>>Would it be possible for the technology to incorporate some kind of stablizing device when Clik! is
writing similar to those of camcorders when they are recording?
<<<
No, it is not possible.
A camcorder's "stablizing device" is accomplished by software digital signal processing. The DSP filters out the jitter in the images.
A disk drive is a dynamic system. You cannot filter out the external force though you can measure it.
Therefore I don't think the "stablizing device" for camcorders will work for a disk drive.
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Subject: Re: Market Research
Author: kiz100ÿÿÿ Date: 2/1/98 12:51:31 PM (ET)
>>> Kiz100, a couple quick questions. George said that Syquest copied the Jaz disk patents??? And what are your feelings towards the Zip disk patents and the protection from cloning built into the design?
<<<
A question for you first: George who said?
In my mind, it is hard to say who copied who. Jaz "borrowed" a number of ideas from SyQuest drives. I think the greatest breakthrough in Jaz mechanics was that it packed two disks in one cartridge. SyJet did the same thing. But no one could and should force SyQuest to use one disk only. Am I right?
Yes, Zip has a lot of patents. For example, the retroreflector on Zip disks is an important one. Fred Thomas tried many different materials to make sure the maximum level of light reflected. He did a great job. However, the photointerruptors have non-uniform characteristics. If engineers overlooked the fact, then Nomai may use any good reflective material to replace the retroreflector and thus defeat the patent.
BTW, I believe that Nomai cartridges can not easily damage the Zip drive. How good will it work? I do not know.
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EP: KIZ100's last 2 points (about the retroreflector and Nomai disks damaging IOM drives) have been contradicted elsewhere.
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There is lots more like it on the MF IOM board (the free one, not the AOL boards).
Good trading all. |
