I am not sure you are correct in saying that the TRAB was a tool of previous management Dark Knight.

Whilst the arrival of the new CEO resulted in a swivel in POET's strategy to the current focus on commercially developing AOC for the burgeoning data centre market,  I do not believe  we can conclude that the previous intrim CEO's strategy failed and was replaced. Instead we  could as equaly conclude that the previous management strategy which was to complete PET and develop Optical side of POET in tandem was actually achieved and that a trasfer of technology to the customer who set PTK milestones at that time (2015) actually occurred.  The evidence to support this was the use of Synopsys tools to transfer the IP,  the 6 month BAE contract to establish PET could be mass manufactured  and the  irrefutable fact of the establishment of the TRAB.  

Whilst the company bit it's lip on the nature of what the TRAB achieved the fact remains that it existed for almost two years which was sufficient for it to technically support that customer's concerns during the transition of IP from lab to fab stages for a customer led project, which was its stated purpose. 

Where we differ in ppinion is that I believe that the TRAB was an Apple management tool not PTI's.  Whether the project was a success or not we cannot say but dispanding the TRAB implies that a conclusion was reached one way or the other. To my mind the  IPHONE 8 could well be the target product of the frenzied work to August of 2015.

Sula  (with apologies for being drawn back into the debate)

I do not resent any individual making investment decisions that work out for them Baba.

Seeing the RVH post.flash on and off rather confirmed a belief I had that it was inevitable that at some point PTK would go through a rocky patch and that the astute well informed investor could take advantage of that.

 Similarly there is also a probability that the mania that Eileen once refered to would cause a price peak that again could be played advantageously, that is of couse if POET really is a 'disruptive' technology that can be commercialised and if only one had the skill to time the peak

Whether one has the judgement and capacity to take advantage of the ebb and flow of business life is another mater.  I'm gambling that being long will work out and take an optimistic view on the basis that management has the capacity to drive PTK to succeed. Luck would be nice but hard work and application is doing fine and fronting up to the inevitable difficulties as they arrive.

I actively counter much of the negativeity here but I'm getting to old and to grumpy to put up with the criticism and resentment I seem to stir up including amongst the nice guys.  Agoracom seem incapable of closing my account down leaving me stupidly playing a game I cease to enjoy.since leadership vanished.

Sula

Derek you mention Oogee has drawn his line in the sand.  He is a founder member of this forum and his rare posts are eagerly anticipated.

 Another founder member RVH has not reported in for quite some time and I remember an odd rather untypical post of his that appeared momentarily on the board then it promptly disappeared.. As I was just scanning for pearls in the posts at that moment I have only the vague impression that Rob foresaw trouble ahead.

In retrospect who would have not sold in late summer 16 had they had the conviction to assess the impending difficulties and delays emerging then as the time to get out and sit on the sidelines observing. I say good luck to anyone who read the writing on the wall back then.

My point being Derek that this is a game of  individual decisions and very hard nosed and unforgiving ones at that.  I don't fit comfortably with that being rather sentimental and a soft touch by nature. But another investment cliché is not to be guided by sentiment or emotion which I feel is where we both fall down in this exchange of thoughts.

Sula 

I accept your point Derek and certainly did not wish to rub salt into wounds.  I have in fact on several occasions expressed regrets for those in the position you describe. But I feel it is right to counter some of the surrender monkey attitudes expressed here by those who expected to get rich quickly and now realise genius takes time. 

I also advise anyone who I point at PTK to recognise the risky nature of investing in Venture capital firms and to invest only what they can afford to lose.  These cliches are hakneyed phrases in the investment world not mine yet they make profound sense.  I am not without empathy for those whose enthusiasm welled over but they must own the decisions they have made and the consequences.  

That said and despite the concerns of  dilution and the floundering share price, I think many discerning investors have a real sense that PTK is as well placed as it ever has been and certainly in a far better position than when you and I entered the investment fray.  

So let's end on a note if hope that that moment cannot be too far off given that 2017 contains considerable slack in the project plan to allow would be customers to evaluate and plan their implementation of POET projects.  To my rational to keep to the 2018 date for revenue POET alpha products need to appear in this quarter.

Don't you agree that this would ease the pain of those in the unfortunate position of being over invested?

Sula 

I am reminded that SV said words to the effect that competition emphasises that PTK is working in the right area.  Whilst EFFECT claims a single monolithic photonics chip it's solution requires bonding layers. Yes this produces the intended effect (sic) but at what cost?

The POET process is a truly monolithic process with all design components created in one pass to create a chip, so to speak. The cost implications of this are the differentiating factor and the reason why POET could become the industry standard,  when they finally unleash this potential on the photonic industry desparately awaiting such innovation.

One imagines the myriad of potential POET applications that could be created. Its like looking at the stars at night in awe of where the universe ends.  It gives me a cold shudder to think that this potential was visible when I was first drawn to this technology hidden away in a solar company then called OPEL.

 It is the excitement of seeing that technology being developed to the advanced stage of commercialistion, that its now at, that keeps me long regardless of PO, low SP, warts and all.  The hirings and the noise at DL prove to me that we are on the cusp of the big reveal.

Those who would happily part with their investment for a pittance surely must lack imagination and the patience necessary to allow this potential to unfold.

sula 

 In general terms development projects are thought of as v shaped.  The downward leg being the design phase and right upward leg as the production implementation phase.  The point being any change that is specIfield in the later production phase will require reiteration from the design phase which is both costly in time and resources and emphasises the importance of getting it right in the lab before the fab phase.

Based on this it is clear that in the POET life cycle design changes have resulted in cost viz the PO and delay.  I wonder to what extent the aquisitions have affected the POET life cycle in integrating newly aquired IP from DL and BB.or does POET development continue ndependently?

I feel that in order to ensure that POET is bullet proof or to meet external requirements design changes were introduced that have extended development time out to 2018.  One wonders whether there is an external influence here of  which the only known explanation is the output of the now defunct TRAB.   The good news being management consider that TRAB input can be concluded.  

Time alone will tell what actual influance the TRAB outputs had on the POET life cycle but ignoring the fact that this management device was extant and active for two years to date seems to me to be burying ones head in the sand.  Ultimately customer need drives company development.  Despite the heady excitement of the blue sky development that went on at Stoors we are now  I feel experienceing the harsh realities of the commercial environment.  

For me what this all says is that higher degrees of astuteness are required and  in the light of the recent management structural changes this is being addressed.  Too much criticism of management is made over PO and SP isues which are largely driven by influences outside their contol.  Being tight lipped whilst frustrating for us is essential at this critical juncture in POET'S development.

PTK now stands in the brink of success or failure but one thing is sure that delivering disruptive technical inovation is the principle focus for which being well capitalised is essential. We should be more supportive of management not less which is why we have been binned as an influence group.

Sula