Apology

[Stuart Johnson <sjohnson @ weasel . owl . de>]

I would like to apologize for taking the discussion off-topic to the firewalls mailing list.
The firewall mailing lists is where the security community can express some of their concerns from both a technical evaluation as well as an end-user perspective.

Marcus responses have become emotional and I may have let my own postings to be on the
emotional side.   Based upon his private emails he sent me, I find it ironic that he publicly impugns my character, yet privately encourages me to consider his soon to be delivered and competing technology.  I guess the world will soon find out why Marcus' technology is "better than Haystack and Wheelgroup" but at the same time, not competitive.

Just last week, Marcus denigrated and made fun of MimeStar with the SecureNet Pro technology and now knowing that Marcus will compete with MimeStar, it leads me to question the double
standards evident in his emotional response.  

As a user, perhaps Marcus doesn't fully understand the end-users need to fully evaluate the product as well as the company that stands behind it.  I as well as many other end users have been burned by software companies' promises that were never delivered upon.  A company in disarray makes buying their products a higher risk decision.  

The questions I raise are legitimate concerns for anyone considering the implementation of this technology across their enterprise.  I have received many very valuable emails from end users who factually responded without emotion.  I am sorry valid business concerns are construed as lunacy and mud slinging.  Sometimes the truth hurts especially for the guilty party.   

With asking these concerns, I am stunned that some of these security "experts" without any standards would publically dennounce someone as a "Network Loon" and try to put someone on trial. I should have never been drawn into Marcus' roast as I am not evaluating his products anyways (as they don't exist).

Contrary to emotional flames, I only desired to determine if the employee at Haystack was a disgruntled exception or whether the company was truly in as much turmoil and decay as was indicated.  This concerns me and any other potential customers of this software.  And to this end, customers of both Haystack and Wheelgroup have shared their experiences and have confirmed many of my observations with unbiased facts.  

To those that have, thank you for your objective input and your professionalism to respond without emotional regard and selfish interest.  

Stuart