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To: Ausdauer who wrote (4806)	2/20/1999 3:19:00 PM
From: Craig Freeman	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 60323

Ausdauer, my guess is that the memory stick was designed NOT to fit into a CF slot. SNDK's CF scheme provides a universal hardware interface and leaves the software interface to the manufacturer. Sony provides the software as well to provide a more complete solution. Imagine recording a photo with a Ricoh camera then inserting the stick into a Sony Playstaion for viewing. Then inserting it into a PC which pops up the same image and asks where you would like to send it. All without user intervention. They may be late but Sony appears to have a more user-friendly, more marketable solution. SNDK will have to write a lot of software if they expect to maintain their market share. Without it, CF could become the "8-track" of flash memory. Craig

To: Ausdauer who wrote (4806)	2/20/1999 6:02:00 PM
From: Bill Zeman	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 60323

Aus, Craig and Thread: I am somewhat techno-illiterate, but smart enough to be a SNDK investor for a long time now. Can anyone tell me? What is the technology behind "Memory Stick"? Could it be flash? If so, would they not have to pay some kind of price for tapping into technology that is covered by any number of SNDK's dozens of patents? I would be somewhat apprehensive if Sony were to become a direct competitor of SNDK without some kind of revenue being required to go to SNDK. Craig's point of the Japanese's reputation for ruthlessly driving out competitors is well taken. There is a reason why so many of the name brand TV and electronics companies are now only subsidiaries of Japanese corporations. Didn't the Japanese govtmt actually subsidize below cost selling of TVs by Japanese corporations in the 70's until all US TV mfgs were bought out or out of business? What about Smartmedia? Does it use flash technology? Would like to know what all you techies think. Bill Zeman