GPS World - May 2008 - (Page 10)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Joint Control of GPS My experience with military programs like GPS, and separately with the FAA programs, leaves me concerned with the long-term success of a civilian agency directing the future of GPS. The Air Force may not always make the absolute right decisions with regard to civilian requirements for GPS, but they at least make decisions and execute them in a timely fashion. From my experience, civilian agencies tend to be less decisive and are unable to follow through to completion with the same timeliness. Major program decisions become politi- cal footballs and the workforce hierarchy cannot be held directly responsible for executing a decision they dislike. Letting the Air Force retain control, while attempting to meet reasonable civilian requirements, will get the job done. The other way around will result in a GPS bureaucracy that is likely to frustrate the military and public alike. Ð Bob Iler Annapolis Junction, Maryland THE FUTURE OF SATELLITE NAVIGATION. AS SEEN BY NOVATEL' S GNSS TECHNOLOGY. SiRF Suits Typical class-action suits against technology companies never have merit. Getting all worked up is a waste of time. As seasoned management, you just look at it as a tax on business. The vultures are overhead waiting for you to enter their game. Almost all tech companies get a classaction suit at some time, following a fall in the stock price. There is a cadre of law firms that watch for venture capitalbacked tech companies getting a major stock-price haircut. There never is merit. 100 percent of these suits are settled! You spend $3± 4 million on your own attorneys' copying everything in the building during the discovery phase. Then depositions! After 2± 3 years of the legal morass, loss of time and focus, management comes to its ª sensesº and enters settlement discussions. The company settles with cash and stock from who? The stockholders! It' s just a sham! All high-tech stocks are volatile. They have big ups and big downs. People invest hoping for the ride up. No one likes the ride down. The lead attorney at a prominent national law firm specializing in hightech class-action tort is now going to prison for kickbacks to plaintiffs. Ð Kieth E. Sorenson Approach Systems, Inc., Orem, Utah www.gpsworld.com 1-800-NOVATEL (U.S. & Canada) or 403-295-4900 SE Asia & Australia +61 (2) 8668 4073 | Europe +44 (0) 1993 852-436 | sales@novatel.com 10 GPS World | May 2008 http://novatel.com http://novatel.com http://www.gpsworld.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of GPS World - May 2008

GPS World - May 2008 Contents Out in Front Letters to the Editor Expert Advice GPS III Contract Award Now a Reality? Near-Space Location Boost RTK Crops Up in Precision Ag Safety Afoot 50+ Leaders to Watch Making a Difference with GPS Product Showcase Advertisers Index & Company Directory Marketplace Classifieds Seen & Heard

GPS World - May 2008

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