Round Two: Moral Jujitsu--Long Truth vs. Short Fiction, live at Pluvia's SI Shorting Arena
PartyTime Opening Statement:
How many companies don't yet have IBM Microdrive on their products? And of those which do, what is the need for multiple Codecs? Can you seriously--based on what we know the music industry is concerned about--say this isn't important? You don't believe multiple codecs require a file management OS support? Or do you really believe that any resembling product, without EDIG's file management OS, will work to the satisfaction of all? Not only are you letting quality and the integrity of products slip from your stream of consciousness, but, frankly, thinking like that is damn foolish!
Why'd IBM test MicroOS and select it for MicroDrive? Do you think they did it because it wasn't good news for shorters such as you and Pluvia? I don't think so. Uh-huh. The quality of your short in no way compares to the quality of EDIG's technology. Simply put, you damn one in order to gain the other.
Anyway, MicroOS helps with power management issues of the drive. [NOTE: Confirmed by engineers at IBM's booth at the recent CES Convention in Los Vegas. Here's a question for ya: Why even was EDIG sharing IBM's booth?] Secondly, the MicroDrive mimics flash memory. And isn't it logical that a file management system needs capability for both hard drive management and flash memory management? Well, the latter requires EDIG's patents, ergo, the IBM drive requires MicroOS. Where else you gonna go get this? Got a name? Wanna make one up? (LOL)
Why would an OEM wish to utilize some other product when IBM, via its own use and presentation, in effect recommends EDIG's MicroOS as best in class? Is IBM unimportant?
If the other players are as good as you claim--or as you allege, one can easily make up the product--how come IBM didn't make it? Why'd it spark the MicroOS deal with EDIG? And ask yourself this: Does IBM do business with bad companies or good companies?
EDIG is a good company; not a bad one as you shorters have so frauduently allege.
Indeed, the one-to-one relationship between the MicroDrive and MicroOS inherently places eDigital technology into a vast range of new products and technologies: cameras, PDAs, 3G phones, etc.
Also consider IBM's Microdrive was designed for products which require a greater degree of space. For example, digital video. How many products are now on the market which presently support multiple digital video CODECs from websites? Is it possible eDigital will finally give Sony and others like Sony who are in the hunt, a good run for their money, their market share? At a minimum, EDIG's got a great shot at it.
EDIG does not stand alone with what it's doing. Make the call. Ask any EDIG engineer--Mr. Matthews, formerly from Intel, for example--if EDIG's long hybenation with its R&D work was worth its (their) effort. Heck, why not even ask Bill Gates? You think he's in tune with these matters? You bet!
Charles, you're level of respect for EDIG's engineers is as if during that R&D phase all they ever did was play chess, cribbage, playing solataire or video games, leaving their distinguished electrical and mechanical engineering backgrounds to the fate of publicists. I submit that you'd think and communicate differently were you face to face with 'em. Guaranteed. You would have written what you wrote. Why? You'd be more knowledgeable.
I got an idea. Call 'em up. Anyway, on to the questions and your responses.
C.M. Burns Comment:
"...many companies already had prototype players based on the microdrive and they don't need the EDIG OS to do it, they just whip their own out. Hell it's just another IDE drive, you can probably find the code to do it for free on the net."
[Below are my questions to his above comment, his responses and my responses to him.]
PartyTime Question Number One:
1) Which companies?
C.M. Burns Response:
>>>1. Read my original post, "There I saw the infamous "hockey puck" MP3 player from EDIG, but I also saw MicroDrive-equipped Diamond Rio's, Han-Go Personal Jukeboxes, and a Creative Nomad. That convinced me, even more, that EDIG has nothing special."<<<
PartyTime Response:
Which of those players offer multiple Codec or multiple DRM? I dare you. Name one! It's my understanding each will state something to the effect: "We can't say right now." Compared to this reality, MicroOS looks damn good, doesn't it?
It took e.Digital six years to develop the MicroOS. IBM, Lucent, Texas Instruments and Intel each appear to believe its the better than the others.
PartyTime Question Number Two:
2) What do you mean by "probably?" and how would this compare to EDIG's multi-codecs capability?
C.M. Burns:
2. By "probably" I mean that I haven't taken the time to find it but considering IDE drives have been out over ten years, and made in thousands of models, I don't think it's a stretch to say that finding code to make one work would be that difficult. In fact back over a year ago I was on a mailing list where a guy was writing from scratch, code to make an IDE mp3 player. He was going to sell a kit that you plug your IDE drive into. All it was was a little code, an LCD display, a $15 mp3 chip(yes theirs a hardware mp2 mp3 decoder chip) a DSP to change it to analog, and a headphone level amplifier. The dude got it to work, but never got a production unit going as the Rio's and Nomad's started showing up.<<<
An IDE MP3 player? Charles, are you sure you're not spreadin' elements of dreamin' and schemin' in a bit a' bandy-'bout here? Why would an OEM place an IDE drive (for a PC) into a portable digital music player? Should I ask that question again? Here's another one for ya: How does the DSP utilize the IDE with different NAND and NOR ICs associated with a IDE as opposed to the MicroDrive?
And, Charles, I guess sound quality doesn't count much for you either. I noted you didn't say much about ePAC, which is likely to emerge as the winner with consumers because of its vastly improved sound over that of MP3. Don't you think it's possibe that once consumers note the real and true difference, that those MP3 players are gonna go the way of transitor radios back in the '60s?
Also, Charles, defeating security systems in the manner you suggest won't work either. First of all, the music is watermarked, traceable to the original owner even after re-recording as analog and then digital. Sorta like dem' new hundred dollar bills, ain't it?
Secondly, the quality of music subject to multiple Codecs processing deteriorates. Do you think the consumers of those other players (i.e., your favorites) or of the hacker-types are gonna like this. Well, basement sound has a place maybe for the technology you're espousing, but not with what EDIG's putting forward.
And, for sure, they'll always be a greedy green-eyed renegade pirate-type (a shorter maybe?) and MIT crazy-like students who'll do some testy stff. But if you think about it, it's no different than all the hacking offers the poor AOLer's get in their email box. Very few do business with that breed. The fact is that most folks are honest and, unless shorting, will do choose considerate action. Primarily, it's the main pie with which the music industry wants to protect, not crumbs, bits of frosting or variant flakes.
PartyTime Question Number Three:
3) And how does doing it "free on the net" comply with copyright protection?
C.M. Burns Reponse:
3. What copyright? They don't have a copyright for talking to a harddrive. Anyone can write software that reads from a hard drive.
PartyTime Response:
But what happens to the copyright when you take the supposedly protected content from the harddrive and walk away with it on the microdrive? Is that like, er, bootlegging? The players you mention don't provide this copyright protection. EDIG's technology does! And when the music industry decides where to apply its standards this is gonna count big-time.
Of course anyone can write a file management OS to communicate with a harddrive or microdrive. But, again, who did IBM, Lucent, Intel and Texas Instruments choose and why? Charles, ain't it funny how ya gotta keep coming up with EDIG for these very good answers? Are you really saying that big-name companies don't like what EDIG is doing? You're not saying that, are you?
Whoops! I forgot. The quality of anything EDIG-like doesn't mean beans when there's a need to drum away opportunistically so as to support a short trade position, does it?
PartyTime Question Number Four:
4) Why is MP3 being sued?
C.M. Burns Response:
4. I assume you mean MP3.com, I believe they are being sued for copyright infringement. And that has what to do with EDIG? Maybe you are confusing patents and copyrights and think anyone that makes a disk based mp3 player will be sued. Ehhhh, wrong. Like I posted, other people are already able to use the microdrive without this micro os. How, because it's no big thang.
Charles, again, what about the significance of piracy in music and the fact that the music players not only will need the capacity to run multiple Codecs, but also multiple digital rights management systems (DRMs)? Clearly, your response to my question regarding the the MP3 lawsuit shows an obvious lack of even a basic investigation of this new and emerging industry. For example, why specifically is MP3 being sued? Because MP3 technology doesn't protect against anti-piracy. EDIG does.
5) Why is the SDMI seeking a standards solution?
C.M. Burns Response:
5. SDMI is seeking a standard solution so that they can control it and hopefully not have the music industry turned upside down. The music biz is about 50 levels deep with middle men that can all be cut out by the internet and it scares them to death.
Sorry, Charles. The music industry is not concerned with the middle men. They're rather insignficant. You have any idea how a recording contract is signed? Who gets what piece of the pie? Geez, believe it or not, even the artist is low down on that feeding chain. All the more reason why artists rights need protection. Yeah, it's the big fish, not the middle-roaders, who get most of the money action. Still, however, the big fish need to appease the artist and copyright protection is crucial. In my view, the MP3s and easy duplicating players are history. EDIG is very sound for the future.
Conclusion:
The MicroOS handles multiple Codecs and multiple DRMs. How will an OEM do accomplish this without the MicroOS. Name one competitor presently can.
In my view, the endorsement by Intel of MicroOS--as noted by by EDIG board member Skip Matthews at the Shareholder Meeting--demonstrates the worth of the technology.
Also noteworthy was Fred Falk's comment during his recent On24 interview, when asked if EDIG technology is presently in Intel chips. He responded, "I really can't comment on that, but it's not in it today." In effect, a logical mind would presume that such technology will be in an Intel chip tomorrow. Anxiously, many of us await that announcement.
moneycentral.msn.com
Another strong endorsement for EDIG technology is the fact that IBM invited eDigital into the VoiceTimes Alliance for their expertise in voice devices and because the MicroOS will be critical to the success of flash memory-equiped devices. I'd think any technical person would consider this significant.
And don't you think flash memory devices will be more complex in the next generation of products and that they'll be not yet seen today type demands upon file management, that those demands will grow far beyond current capabilities what are essentially now rudimentary systems used?
Fact: MicroOS supports unlimited size and numbers of files. This is a key feature as the memory capacity of flash increases.
So tell me, does anything I've written above count? Or is it all canceled out because Pluvia has called for short action on EDIG and you support Pluvia's short action. If anything should be in his boxing ring, it should be your technical conceptions about EDIG vs. his shorting conceptions about EDIG. You'd both be disqualified! |
