CAM
Cam \Cam\ (k[a^]m), n.
(a) A turning or sliding piece which, by the shape of its periphery or face,
or a groove in its surface, imparts variable or intermittent motion to, or
receives such motion from, a rod, lever, or block brought into sliding or
rolling contact with it.
(b) A curved wedge, movable about an axis, used for forcing or clamping two
pieces together.
(c) A projecting part of a wheel or other moving piece so shaped as to give
alternate or variable motion to another piece against which it acts.
Summary
CAM means Computers As Mediators. The term and title describes a
new business focussed on mobile computing. Lap and palm top computers, pagers,
cell phones, all have great utility when functioning as links between
individuals and others at some distance. CAM adds value to components
that are in the market. Though such devices are succeeding through their
use as individual aides with communication and
computing advantages, they enable much more. CAM works to add practical
value and special features. It does that by systems design and software
development activities.
The CAM concept is both a business entity and means for starting technical
work. Current CAM assets are based on two technological areas,
Cognosis and PGI, and the Campo business development
environment.
Cognosis is a suite of web-based
computer services. Because it knows you, more capability and
highly desirable
executive functions can be implemented. Each Cognosis product depends on
proprietary speaker-dependent recognition
software, protected by a pending U.S. patent,.
PGI is the second technological area. It aids a software developer
working to create a multisite computing utility. PGI is an enabling technology. It adds interpretive tools to the internet software protocols so that
transmitted signals permit parts of programs called Procedures
can execute at different locations. The PGI invention is also protected
by a pending U.S. patent. PGI
supports rapid software development for networked computers.
Campo is the development process. It is both a field covering
concept origination and a staged process leading to product development.
The use of the Spanish word is intentional. We see the diversity of Los
Angeles, its major universities and their students, as well as the
connections this city has world-wide as a resource for CAM. The key
elements of Campo are Campus, Developer status, and the Emily List.
Campus refers to
hourly employment for demonstration products, generally but not
exclusively for programming services. Other functions we will subsume
under the Campus heading include market research and system design. We
generally prefer to limit such employment to six months (or considerably
less). Anyone working under Campus can invest in CAM.
Developer status is achieved when a Campus function is performed to the
satisfaction of at least two of the three management individuals (as the
concept evolves the set of managment individuals would expand). An
evaluation mechanism will allow Developer's to derive CAM ownership (stock,
stock options) from their future creative development.
"Early money is like yeast" defines the role of Emily's List
participants: cash investments lead to our starting as a business and
will be heavily rewarded (see below). Each Developer's new products will be credited with CAM ownership
interests. This will be done in a manner like that below for the Cognosis and
PGI patents pending and the Cognosis business plan. These evaluations are
listed in draft form below under Memorandum of Understanding.
Memorandum of Understanding.
Allen Klinger, Victor Sze and Steve Smyrski (the "three individuals"
below) hereby establish a renewable
three (six, or twelve) month agreement to function as principals in the
CAM effort. They each begin with five percent of CAM and are able to go
to a maximum of fifteen percent based on their activity in the 3 1 2001
to 2 28 2002 period: all three are initially Developer status and
Emily's List members.
The Cognosis patent and business plan are each CAM owners. They hold
respectively one and one-half percent interests.
The PGI patent is a one percent CAM owner. The CAM shares for that
patent will be divided equally between Allen Klinger and Byron Darrah.
Fifty-five percent of the CAM ownership will be divided as follows. Ten
percent will be assigned to initial equity investors. That percentage will
be assigned at the unanimous agreement of the three individuals. (I'm
thinking of $ 50,000 - $ 250,000 for this ten percent.) Twenty-five
percent will be reserved for Developers (this includes any individuals
we all agree to bind to CAM by ownership interests).
Funds invested by Allen Klinger for the PGI patent and business will
serve as Emily's List credits to him and will accrue CAM ownership
interest. (Allen Klinger is to pay all the PGI patent fees. Byron Darrah
will assist with technical aspects.)