| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21825] |
Wed, 27 September 2000 00:00 |
wrb1000
Messages: 9
Registered: January 1999
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Junior Member |
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Hey, I got a reply from the COO at RSI concerning my earlier question
about D. Stern's new position. Without further ado, the answer is:
Dear Mr. <Me>,
Thank you very much for your email. My name is Denise Fields and I am
the Chief Operating Officer at Research Systems. To answer your
question Mr. Stern will continue with the company. His position and
title will be Founder and Chief Technologist. He will be focused on
product direction and strategy and certainly understanding the needs of
our customers. He has certainly been operating in this capacity for
the last few years (amongst other things) and this new partnership will
allow him to focus even more time on the products and the customers.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Best Regards,
Denise M. Fields
------------------------------------------------------------ ---
"They don't think it be like it is, but it do."
Oscar Gamble, NY Yankees
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21827 is a reply to message #21825] |
Tue, 26 September 2000 00:00  |
Pete Riley
Messages: 12
Registered: June 1998
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Junior Member |
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Hi Ronn:
I do hope you're right. But from a business perspective, unless your
specific needs fall within the narrow interest that Kodak has for RSI, I
think it's a lost cause. And it's not that I'm not an optimist....I was a
Manchester City fan for 10 years.
My primary interests lie in timeseries analysis and visualization of 3-D
simulation datasets. As best as I can tell, these two fields, which are
currently well-covered in IDL, are not aligned with Kodak's primary
interests. Now I've already paid for my 5.4 licences, so I'm not going to
jump ship just yet. It would, however, take some convincing from David Stern
or others in higher positions at RSI to convince me to stay.
We should remember that IDL is a good all-around product, but it has a
number of limitations. Perhaps this is the perfect kick we need to embrace
open technology and all plough our efforts into openDX?
If you want to be unrealistically optimistic, how about the following
scenario: Kodak only wants Spyglass technology, or whatever, and doesn't
care about IDL. They follow IBMs lead and make the IDL source code
publically available....then I wake up.
-Pete
"ronn kling" <ronn@rlkling.com> wrote in message
news:B5F67EBD.A90%ronn@rlkling.com...
> Everyone,
>
> My first reaction when I saw the announcement was "great! Now they can put
> real money and backing into IDL". I know that most of the posts have been
> negative, but I just don't see it that way.
>
> First, as someone who is out doing cold calls to get work, the buying of
RSI
> by Kodak is only a plus. Now I can say that I do most of my development
> using a product from Kodak instead of saying "a small company in Boulder".
> I can't understate how much more comfortable this will make potential
> customers of IDL. And of course, the more IDL customers, the better the
> product should be.
>
> Second, Kodak has the cash to add more engineers to the development team.
> This should only improve the product we get.
>
> Third, even if image processing is the emphasis and not pure science that
> will only help us. Image people are as interested in surface fitting,
> fft's, 2D and 3D graphics, optimization, and statistical techniques as we
> are.
>
> Finally, even if (when) Kodak decides to expand out of the traditional IDL
> market they will pay attention to current users. To not do that would be
> extremely shortsighted, and since Kodak has been around about 100 years I
> don't expect that behaviour from them.
>
> Call me an optimist, but I still think the purchase is a great thing!
>
>
> -Ronn
>
> --
> Ronn Kling
> Ronn Kling Consulting
> email: ronn@rlkling.com
> "Application Development with IDL" programming book updated for IDL5.3!
> Shareware and Freeware at: http://www.rlkling.com/
>
>
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21831 is a reply to message #21827] |
Tue, 26 September 2000 00:00 |
davidf
Messages: 2866
Registered: September 1996
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Senior Member |
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Wayne Landsman (landsman@my-deja.com) writes:
> Now how do the Boulder employees feel about moving to Rochester, NY??
I heard those Kodak folks wear ties. I just don't
know what kind of tie fits in with cut-offs and
a T-shirt. :-)
I'm listening with interest to the half-full guys,
but surely there will be some kind of culture shock
on someone's part. Suits are just not the RSI way.
Cheers,
David
--
David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
Phone: 970-221-0438 E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
Toll-Free IDL Book Orders: 1-888-461-0155
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21832 is a reply to message #21827] |
Tue, 26 September 2000 00:00 |
landsman
Messages: 93
Registered: August 1991
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Member |
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I also fall into the "glass is half full" camp.
First of all, I think it natural that Kodak would want to acquire RSI.
If 70% of my business were from the sale of film (that's the number the
papers quoted for Kodak this week), then I would try to get into the
digital world as fast as possible, and acquisiton of RSI would seem a
natural step.
At least in astronomy, Kodak has a long history of working with
scientists.
And even if Kodak focuses future developments toward imaging, most of
these 2-d tools (e.g. wavelets, time-series) should also be applicable
for 1-d spectra -- that is sort of the way that IDL is designed.
And Kodak may have the marketing power to substantially increase the IDL
market, and maybe even decrease the price per license. (Boy, I really
am an optimist!)
My main concern is that the direction of IDL can now be subject to the
whims of Kodak headquarters, especially given their current financial
problems. So I will be watching the next few months to see if Kodak
has a coherent plan for RSI.
Now how do the Boulder employees feel about moving to Rochester, NY??
--Wayne Landsman
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21833 is a reply to message #21827] |
Tue, 26 September 2000 00:00 |
ronn
Messages: 123
Registered: April 1999
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Senior Member |
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Everyone,
My first reaction when I saw the announcement was "great! Now they can put
real money and backing into IDL". I know that most of the posts have been
negative, but I just don't see it that way.
First, as someone who is out doing cold calls to get work, the buying of RSI
by Kodak is only a plus. Now I can say that I do most of my development
using a product from Kodak instead of saying "a small company in Boulder".
I can't understate how much more comfortable this will make potential
customers of IDL. And of course, the more IDL customers, the better the
product should be.
Second, Kodak has the cash to add more engineers to the development team.
This should only improve the product we get.
Third, even if image processing is the emphasis and not pure science that
will only help us. Image people are as interested in surface fitting,
fft's, 2D and 3D graphics, optimization, and statistical techniques as we
are.
Finally, even if (when) Kodak decides to expand out of the traditional IDL
market they will pay attention to current users. To not do that would be
extremely shortsighted, and since Kodak has been around about 100 years I
don't expect that behaviour from them.
Call me an optimist, but I still think the purchase is a great thing!
-Ronn
--
Ronn Kling
Ronn Kling Consulting
email: ronn@rlkling.com
"Application Development with IDL"� programming book updated for IDL5.3!
Shareware and Freeware at: http://www.rlkling.com/
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21834 is a reply to message #21827] |
Tue, 26 September 2000 00:00 |
promashkin
Messages: 169
Registered: December 1999
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Senior Member |
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I saw a lot of concerned posts this morning. Do you think that, in
addition to speculating about what will happen, we also should *ask*
that pieces of IDL that we use remain maintained and developed? I
personally plan to, because what I use IDL for (as well as some major
customers such as NASA and NOAA atmospheric modeling communities)
purposes other than image processing.
I realize that a decision is probably brewing already in their
headquarters, but we *can ask*. IMHO, it would not be very popular
tactics for Kodak to just discontinue a number of services that have
demand, and Kodak will not do that. But I think it will not hurt if
customers *asked* that those services continue.
Cheers,
Pavel
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21836 is a reply to message #21827] |
Tue, 26 September 2000 00:00 |
Bill Sawchuck
Messages: 3
Registered: June 1997
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Junior Member |
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wbiagiot@suffolk.lib.ny.us (wbiagiot@suffolk.lib.ny.us) writes:
> Bill S.,
>
> Not for nothing, but RSI represents the top molecule of a drop in the
> Kodak pail. I came from a $100M a year division of a $2B a year
> company that was swallowed by a $8B a year company and you know what?
> They let us just die off. <snip>
Understand your concern. I hope things work out for the best (in terms
of continued positive developments on the IDL front). I don't want to
take any bets either way, however. We will just have to wait and see.
As a shareholder of the Dow Diamonds, I do still think it is strange that
I now own a very tiny piece of RSI. I am also glad that I do not own
Kodak by itself. ;-)
Bill Sawchuck
Alexandria, VA
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21838 is a reply to message #21827] |
Tue, 26 September 2000 00:00 |
davidf
Messages: 2866
Registered: September 1996
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Senior Member |
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Bill Biagiot (wbiagiot@suffolk.lib.ny.us) writes:
> Not for nothing, but RSI represents the top molecule of a drop in the
> Kodak pail. I came from a $100M a year division of a $2B a year
> company that was swallowed by a $8B a year company and you know what?
> They let us just die off. Hence all my prior comments. I just emailed
> RSI with a question as to whether Daniel Stern is staying at the helm -
> I'll let everyone know the answer. And in the total irrevelent
> category: Kodak is trading below the 52 week low today, lol.
My understanding is that David Stern (nee Daniel Stern) will
have the official title of Founder and Chief Technologist.
I think that means he gets a big office and a chance to work
on technical projects that interest him without the headache
of running the company. My understanding is that Kodak has
a manager currently in place at RSI and they are looking
for a full-time CEO. I think Kodak has made it clear about
who is in charge. :-)
Cheers,
David
--
David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
Phone: 970-221-0438 E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
Toll-Free IDL Book Orders: 1-888-461-0155
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21840 is a reply to message #21827] |
Tue, 26 September 2000 00:00 |
wbiagiot
Messages: 59
Registered: January 1999
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Member |
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Bill S.,
Not for nothing, but RSI represents the top molecule of a drop in the
Kodak pail. I came from a $100M a year division of a $2B a year
company that was swallowed by a $8B a year company and you know what?
They let us just die off. Hence all my prior comments. I just emailed
RSI with a question as to whether Daniel Stern is staying at the helm -
I'll let everyone know the answer. And in the total irrevelent
category: Kodak is trading below the 52 week low today, lol.
--
"They don't think it be like it is, but it do."
Oscar Gamble, NY Yankees
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21841 is a reply to message #21827] |
Tue, 26 September 2000 00:00 |
wbiagiot
Messages: 59
Registered: January 1999
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Member |
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My opinion: Anything that is not a cash-cow or is desired intellectual
property, is going to be cast aside or divested to someone else that
wants it. Why should this company be different from any other? Be
there - done that.
That having been said - IMO, this is not a positive development.
--
"They don't think it be like it is, but it do."
Oscar Gamble, NY Yankees
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21842 is a reply to message #21841] |
Tue, 26 September 2000 00:00 |
Sawchuck[1]
Messages: 1
Registered: September 2000
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Junior Member |
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Pete Riley (uk2@linuxfan.com) writes:
> Hello IDLers,
>
> What's the word on the street? <snip>
The word is that RSI is now "on the street". Wall Street that is. RSI
is now a part of the Dow Industrials! How about that? The performance
of RSI will now be reflected (in some very minor respect) in the movement
of the DJIA along with the likes of Intel and Microsoft and a few other
fly-by-night organizations. ;-)
As an aside, EK issued a profit warning today. Coincidence? :-(
It will be interesting to watch how this deal works out in the end, but
as an investor, it is a very interesting move to say the least. I got in
touch with some folks at RSI a few years ago to see if the had any plans
on going public in the future. I guess I have my answer now.
Bill Sawchuck
Alexandria, VA
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21843 is a reply to message #21842] |
Tue, 26 September 2000 00:00 |
davidf
Messages: 2866
Registered: September 1996
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Senior Member |
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William (wmc@bas.ac.uk) writes:
> Sounds like a bad scenario to me. I'll have to hope you're wrong...
I tried to make it obvious that I'm just as much
in the dark about what this "really" means as anyone
else. You just figure that Kodak, the "imaging as
information" people, are probably focusing on the
"image" part of any list they happen to be prioritizing.
I know I would be.
> I do essentially no image processing, just like the vast majority
> of people I know using IDL / PV-WAVE (hey, does that mean we'll have
> to switch over to PV-WAVE?).
I'm sure the PV-Wave and Matlab folks will make it
their business to make you think so. But I would
resist their efforts for a year or so. NO one
knows what this means yet. And IDL is NOT going
away anytime soon. It is WAY too early to panic. :-)
> ps - did any of your stock options come in?!?
Ha!
Cheers,
David
--
David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
Phone: 970-221-0438 E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
Toll-Free IDL Book Orders: 1-888-461-0155
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21844 is a reply to message #21843] |
Tue, 26 September 2000 00:00 |
davidf
Messages: 2866
Registered: September 1996
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Senior Member |
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Pete Riley (uk2@linuxfan.com) writes:
> BTW, was this a complete surprise to you?
A complete surprise!? Uh, no. I've been working
in the software business for a long time. I don't
think I'm capable of "complete" surprise anymore. :-)
Cheers,
David
--
David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
Phone: 970-221-0438 E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
Toll-Free IDL Book Orders: 1-888-461-0155
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21845 is a reply to message #21844] |
Tue, 26 September 2000 00:00 |
wmc
Messages: 117
Registered: February 1995
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Senior Member |
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David Fanning <davidf@dfanning.com> wrote:
> I think we are probably safe in assuming
> IDL will become less a tool for all people, and will become
> more focused on image processing. That's a boon for the imaging
> folks, surely, but may mean something else to folks less interested
> in imaging.
Sounds like a bad scenario to me. I'll have to hope you're wrong...
I do essentially no image processing, just like the vast majority
of people I know using IDL / PV-WAVE (hey, does that mean we'll have
to switch over to PV-WAVE?).
-W
ps - did any of your stock options come in?!?
--
William M Connolley | wmc@bas.ac.uk | http://www.nerc-bas.ac.uk/icd/wmc/
Climate Modeller, British Antarctic Survey | Disclaimer: I speak for myself
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21846 is a reply to message #21845] |
Mon, 25 September 2000 00:00 |
Pete Riley
Messages: 12
Registered: June 1998
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Junior Member |
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"David Fanning" <davidf@dfanning.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1439c39132ed1995989c36@news.frii.com...
> Why don't you wait until after you get IDL 5.4. I
> figure that will be around at least for a little while. :-)
>
Hello David:
After beta-testing 5.4 for a while I'm not impressed at our $250 per license
investments. Of course that's not fair: I don't expect small-version
increments to yield much, but I was holding out for a 6.0 that would
integrate *real* object graphics with the syntax of direct graphics (another
wild dream). I'm skeptical now that there will be a 6.0.
I would like something more definitive from David Stern/RSI as to their
future plans and support for IDL. Their lack of specificity in this
announcement makes me uneasy about IDL's future. It might be time to hedge
our bets and look at the competition. Although RSI has always perceived
Matlab to be the enemy (which is probably fair, financially speaking), both
AVS and OpenDX have a lot to offer and cover both ends of the expense-ware
spectrum. Who's up for a round of Scientific anal/vis software comparisons?
BTW, was this a complete surprise to you?
-Pete
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| Re: Kodak buys RSI!! [message #21847 is a reply to message #21846] |
Mon, 25 September 2000 00:00 |
davidf
Messages: 2866
Registered: September 1996
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Senior Member |
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Pete Riley (uk2@linuxfan.com) is going to get us into it when
he writes:
> What's the word on the street? This is news to me. A couple of questions:
>
> 1. Why does Kodak want RSI?
I'm guessing they will find it much easier to sell their
imaging hardware if they have decent software to go with
it. We all know that hardware is pretty much, well, hardware
without something to make those numbers sing. :-)
> 2. Given the answer to 1., what does this *really* mean for the future of
> IDL?
Who knows? I'm pretty sure no one at RSI knows, and
Kodak probably doesn't have any idea. I'm guessing that
Kodak is probably more interested in ENVI than they are
in IDL, but I suspect they probably realize that their
customers will want both. A nice menu-based system with
lots of built-in tools for image analysis and visualization,
but a language too for the researchers who prefer to roll
their own.
I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see IDL and ENVI become
two sides of the same coin, with similar capability and
functionality, but with two different ways of working with
the imaging data. I think we are probably safe in assuming
IDL will become less a tool for all people, and will become
more focused on image processing. That's a boon for the imaging
folks, surely, but may mean something else to folks less interested
in imaging.
And I wouldn't be at all surprised to see tools like
VIP and ION dropped pretty quickly. I just don't see
how they fit into "Kodak" at all.
> I wonder whether we can get a refund on our maintainance contracts?
Why don't you wait until after you get IDL 5.4. I
figure that will be around at least for a little while. :-)
Cheers,
David
--
David Fanning, Ph.D.
Fanning Software Consulting
Phone: 970-221-0438 E-Mail: davidf@dfanning.com
Coyote's Guide to IDL Programming: http://www.dfanning.com/
Toll-Free IDL Book Orders: 1-888-461-0155
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