Subject: Re: IBIS models under NDA

From: Will Hobbs <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 95 17:45:00 PDT

Text item: 

Dileep,

The models we generally require an NDA for are products which are not yet 
formally announced. The P6 is a good example, as are new chipsets.  All 
information on these components is tightly controlled, including specs, models, 
performance numbers, availability, etc.  Such control is necessary for an 
effective launch of a new product.  I/O models, being in essence executable 
specifications, fall under that umbrella.  The purpose of even mentioning them 
in a public place like the vhdl.org machine is to inform people that the models 
exist and to point people in the right direction to obtain them.

Another case where an NDA is desirable is in the case of early models of a 
component that haven't been validated, the I/O characteristics are subject to 
change, etc.  In such cases, the IC vendors want to control distribution so that
people don't design their products to the wrong spec. NDAs provide trackability.

Regards,

Will Hobbs
Intel Corp.

I am confused by the fact that the
semiconductor companies ask for NDA for providing 
IBIS models. The whole purpose of IBIS is to make 
it possible for the semiconductor companies to 
provide models without disclosing proprietary 
information. I can understand if they want people 
to ask them for models instead of having the 
models on the ibis reflector. But requiring NDA 
for IBIS models defeats the purpose of IBIS.
Am I missing something here?
------------------------------------------------------------ 
Dileep Divekar
Contec CAE, Ltd.
2188 Bering Drive
San Jose, CA 95131

Phone - (408)-434-6767 x 126
Fax   - (408)-434-6884
Email - [email-masked]
------------------------------------------------------------

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Cc: [email-masked]
Subject: IBIS models under NDA
To: [email-masked]
From: [email-masked] (Dileep Divekar)
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 1995 15:53:12 +0800
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From: [email-masked] (Syed Huq)
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 95 21:30:42 PDT

Majority of all models are available for FREE as products are
already released to the public. Only a few are under NDA
and those are mainly products under development.

I am sure models for FREE or under NDA is better than
'No models available'.

Regards,
Syed
National Semiconductor

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From: Arpad Muranyi <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 95 08:29:00 PDT

Text item: 

This must be a really bad joke...
Arpad
===============================================================================
Hello!

IBIS is at best in it's infancy, at worst a joke.

The NDA issue can be viewed as proof either way.

A list could be started with similar "facts".

In my opinion, IBIS is not yet usefull for much of anything, but it has
potential.

Thank you
     Don Abernathey

Subject: Re: IBIS models under NDA
To: [email-masked] (Dileep Divekar), [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 22 Aug 1995 16:43:30 -0700
From: [email-masked] (Don Abernathey)
:46:11 -0700
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From: Samie Samaan <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 95 08:43:00 PDT

Text item: 

     Dileep,
     
     Though IBIS protects circuit topologies, some companies may still want 
     to protect their driver strength and package model data, at least 
     during development and prior to public product launch, while still 
     being able to interact with a few other firms. This would be done in 
     order not to prime the competition on what the next technological step 
     is toward meeting some bus frequency or signal integrity goal.
     
     The second reason is that some people/companies do, and will, make a 
     living making driver models and selling libraries. To them IBIS is 
     just a format or language, and they need to protect their product like 
     any other SW company.

     Sincerely,

     Samie Samaan
     Intel Corp.

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: IBIS models under NDA
Author:  [email-masked] at SMTPGATE
Date:    8/22/95 3:53 PM

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From: [email-masked] (Don Abernathey)
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 1995 11:05:08 -0700

Hello!

I appologize for the following inflamatory note I blurted out to the group. I
am not in the business of flame-baiting, but I can see that the note sure
looks like bait.

There is some rationale behind those very blunt statements. Please feel free
to contact me directly for a discussion, which I won't post to the group
reflector.

Again sorry,
	Don Abernathey
	[email-masked]