Terrible start to the trip. First off-LAX parking lot was full, but not posted full, so I had to drive in and out. This may have cost me the opportunity to stand by on the 3pm flight. I was booked on the 4:05pm flight that eventually left at 6:05pm. Then my bag slipped and hit me in the face, splitting my lip as I left the airplane. The SAP event and Peter Ueberroth’s speech was good, and I got dinner and some good wine thanks to SAP. Finally, of to San Jose and AIC.

I went to the bar after checking in and had drinks with Doug George of Cyanogen (Maxim DL) and Steve Bisque of Software Bisque (Paramount ME). I actually went into the bar and got into the conversation, so interpret “had drinks” in that context. Steve’s brother was there too as were several other people.

So here is what I learned:

• Meade is toast. Going private, moving out of Orange County, probably entirely to China
• The RCX mount is the going to go off the market and is “the most costly mistake they ever made”
• No one with a going business would write for Linux because all Linux users expect software for free, and that’s not the way to run a business
• Maxim DL 5.0 is coming
• Meade has been a bully with lawsuits against many business partners (or even almost partners)

That’s all for a late Thursday night.