To clarify a little: It wasn`t an interview with RP per se, merely a phone conversation when I was advising that my second ``MP3 to SDMI`` article was not to be published. This was unfortunate, as I had coordinated the articles with EDIG prior to allowing publication to assure that my little independent effort wasn`t stomping on any toes. I was not permitted to mention EDIG in the first article (though I snuck in the need for a ``micro OS`` capable of seemless transition from one CODEC/DRM to another), but did in the second. They requested I hold it till they made their next announcement, but by the time they did there was an editor change at my publisher, and he refused to publish because he felt the subject wasn`t suited to the venue (a JAVA-oriented site endorsed by Sun). I went over his head but got shot down. They then asked about the other articles I was contemplating to write for them. I said I`d get back to them - never did! LOL (they had bitten the hand that fed them).

One thing that was most unfortunate about not getting the second article published (and I`m sure it would have gotten a ``notice`` - ``MP3`` in the title [google/search bait] - it would probably have gotten as many hits as the first one - over 500K) was not only that EDIG was specifically mentioned, but the capability of Micro OS was addressed, and it was suggested that the SDMI make it a ``standard`` so all devices could be multi-CODEC/DRM devices. RP had balked at that suggestion, saying that the SDMI wasn`t compelled to establish standards. But the SDMI had done just that when dictating watermarking requirements. I felt it was a reasonable suggestion assuming the SDMI was a collaberation in earnest. Setting this standard would be instrumental in making the SDMI productive - the vast majority of participants would benefit (and Napster would have been far less an issue). Instead, no intercompatibility, one CE company and its CODEC/DRM wins.

What could have been.....!

SGE