From: Billy Brown (bbrown@conemsco.com)
Date: Wed May 19 1999 - 09:04:25 MDT
GBurch1@aol.com wrote:
> I've been checking Nanovation's web site periodically for a while now.
They
> say they will have an IPO this summer. I'd be very curious to hear
> assessments of their technology from folks who are more technically
> competent than me.
Its hard to develop a firm opinion based on the contents of their web site.
On the one hand, photonics as a very promising field that is currently
making rapid strides. Their optical telecommunications work seems about in
line with what I would expect from a cutting-edge research facility in that
field.
OTOH, their claims about optical chips with features "1000 times smaller
than today's electron-based semi-conductor chips" radiate a pretty fierce
bogon flux. Current state of the art is just beginning to make photonic ICs
possible at all - the idea that someone has leaped all the way from discrete
macroscopic components to 0.0005-micron features in one mighty bound seems
terribly unlikely.
I also note that they seem very leery about giving any technical details
about their work. Their press releases give no concrete data at all about
the performance of their equipment or the technologies they use, which is
very unusual for this sort of operation. This could be the result of
paranoid information security policies, but it could also be an indication
that the whole thing is some kind of fraud. It is interesting to note that
the company is apparently owned by some kind of shell company, which has
recently been involved in lawsuits with some of its shareholders.
Bottom line - until they actually start selling something, I'd be very
careful about taking their word for anything. I certainly wouldn't invest
in the company - there are too many opportunities out there that don't
display so many warning signs.
Billy Brown, MCSE+I
bbrown@conemsco.com
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