I've been quietly reading the discussion regarding who knew what and when. One thing that hasn't come up is how business is done in the technology industry. Brent works for, owns, or otherwise is involved with Regan Designs. This is a known fact. However, regardless of what he may or may not know about the Pinpoint product, his ability to discuss this subject is no doubt governed by a non-disclosure agreement. NDAs are quite common and used when a company goes to an outside contractor for services and design assistance. My employers have had to sign NDAs just to buy design tools, embedded operating systems, and compilers to build our own products. Regardless of the enforceability of such an NDA, violation of it would be equivalent to professional suicide. After such a disclosure, he would most likely find it very difficult to find any future clients willing to contract for his services.

Being employed in the technology sector as well, what I'm most impressed by is the amount of information that Brent has already shared. Some clients might consider what he's revealed thus far as a violation of the terms of the NDA. As for names on PCBs, his involvment could be anything from a full-up design of the board to just routing and laying out the artwork. The copyright holder isn't saying, and for that, I can't fault him.

Keep up the good work folks and we'll lose another asset in this small and fragile industrial sector known as Experimental Aviation.

Note that I have no interest in any of these products or Regan Designs. I'm just another EE/software geek. In fact, at my current rate, when I'm done Chelton, Pinpoint and Crossbow may all be looked at like we look at an ARC/Cessna 300 radio today...

Raymond Balister