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Technology Stocks : Identix (IDNX) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: David who wrote (9872)	8/10/1998 11:27:00 PM
From: Zencone	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 26039

I guess a planned sale as listed under Yahoo's Insider Transactions page didn't happen today. Willian Dove had a planned sale of 65K shares and since the volume was only 35K I surmise that plans changed. I wonder how that all works? Obviously one cannot rely on the insider transaction posts as something that will occur. Let's just hope that someday everybody will be giving the finger to Identix. :-)

To: David who wrote (9872)	8/11/1998 8:55:00 AM
From: jean	Respond to of 26039

Here's a plug for the Compaq system. Jean web.lexis-nexis.com

To: David who wrote (9872)	8/11/1998 1:49:00 PM
From: jean	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 26039

David in DC...You become increasingly famous. Got your name in Westergaard's column - AGAIN!! Didn't know "David" was an alias... Jean Reader Question: Someone by the pseudonym "David" is posting information at Silicon Investor, which seems legit, an example the other day being the following. What does WBN think about his posting? "David" writes: "With a decline in stock price, we are seeing increasing signs of disgruntlement emerge, especially on other boards, complaining that IDX (1) does not do enough PR, and (2) is somehow ceding the market to its competitors who have been busy with press releases on products and alliances. WBN Responds: Yeah, de man soun' like he know what he talkin' bout. The bottom line is that IDX is going to do over $100mm this year and no other biometric company will do over $20mm, maybe not even $10mm. "David"'s posting is right on the money; read through it at wbn.com:8080/IDX/Askanalyst.html

To: David who wrote (9872)	8/11/1998 9:11:00 PM
From: Biometrizilla	Respond to of 26039

Let's get testy, why don't we? I like your style. You post information that shows that you know more about biometrics than most others yet when challenged with some facts you don't answer them directly, but drag the discussion in a different direction. So let's stick to the latest issues... You claimed Veridicom and Who?Vision aren't relevant in the discussion of minutia because they are sensor-only companies. If you will double-check your research, you'll find that both companies have minutia-matching algorithms they are selling with their readers. They are as much a competitor to IDX as any other minutia company. You had also lumped in Who?Vision with the silicon sensor companies. Looks like you are buying their press story that claims they have a silicon technology. They do have a silicon-based technology, just like Identicator or ABC or Digital Persona. The silicon is a digital camera, not a direct contact reader like Authentec, ST, or Veridicom. It is an important distinction because it directly impacts the cost of their product and what markets it can serve. The Compaq system doesn't have to be adapted for network access, that is its main purpose. And $99 is the complete solution - power comes from the host computer, no frame grabber or extra hardware required. Putting external demands on the computer? That's what it's there for - you don't need a CPU in the reader to do the job when you've already paid for a powerful CPU in the computer. Equivalent product for equivalent prices? No. But the core functionality is the same. My bet is that equivalent products will be built using low cost, minutia-based technology that will be formidable competitors to IDX' products. At the very least, the threat of such products will drive down IDX' margins. You've done some research, but your view is like looking a through a camera that isn't quite in focus, and the details matter. Say you knew who I was and what I did - say I work for a biometric company, or am an analyst covering the industry, or a system integrator who develops biometric applications, or any one of a number of people who have access to lots of up to date information on the players. Would that change your view of the industry or IDX? Probably not. My posts deceitful? Hardly.

To: David who wrote (9872)	8/12/1998 9:27:00 AM
From: Chip Munk	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 26039

Any of the cheap sensors has to have a function interpreting its "view" of the fingerprint. So in that sense there has to be an algorithm. But it doesn't have to be more than primitive, given the uses to which it is presently being put. And a discussion of a "silicon sensor" versus a "silicon camera" is a good example of finding a truly ridiculous and beside the point distinction to try to make yourself look good. These components are very cheap and far from a major biometric system . . . that's the point. Why do you believe inexpensive (software or hardware) components have to be low quality or incomplete? Please, tell us because Identix sure doesn't want to. From Veridicom website: Limitations of Existing Methods In the past, fingerprints have been acquired and compared using optical readers. However, these readers are bulky, they often require a computer host, and they contain complex optics that make them expensive. This has limited their use to applications where the benefits far outweigh the cost. Breakthrough Technology for Fingerprint Sensors Veridicom applied Lucent's breakthrough advances in semiconductor electronics, materials science, and pattern recognition to develop solid-state sensors for fingerprint identification. These chip-based solutions are substantially less expensive, dramatically smaller, more reliable, more robust, and easier to use than existing readers. These innovative sensors will enable the fingerprint to become the basis for all types of electronic identification. Advantages of Silicon-Based Technology Efficiency and Reliability Because they are silicon-based and use standard CMOS processes, Veridicom's fingerprint sensors can be produced using highly efficient, cost-effective semiconductor manufacturing techniques. Solid-state technology also enables the sensor to be very small, about the size of a postage stamp, with a simple and convenient user interface - just "press here." Silicon fabrication also provides absolute precision of each sensor's pixel element positioning and identical resolution from sensor to sensor. It experiences none of the distortion induced by complex optical light paths, and each sensor is identical to all others. Advanced pattern-recognition technology also contributes to making the Veridicom system highly reliable. Robust, Expandable Device As a solid-state device, the Veridicom sensor is inherently more robust than optical components. The chip is 100 times stronger than glass and protected with a proprietary coating that makes it highly resistant to abrasion. It is rugged enough for use at ATMs or in industrial environments, for example. Silicon technology will also allow a host of expanded functions to be incorporated into the sensor in the future, including A-to-D converters and on-board microprocessors, at very low incremental cost and with no increase in chip size. The end result is a cost-efficient, reliable identification system that is practical and affordable for a wide range of existing and future applications. ***************************** 1. I don't think it is feasible to sell a $500 finger scanner when you can (or soon will) buy entry level PCs (sufficent for web browsing) for the same cost. 2. If Identix algorithms and reader are worth extra $$$ why did it get such a bad review in Network Computing? 3. What is the status of F3?