I'm assuming the only reason that the RealNames failure is getting air time is because the former CEO has published its business dealings with Microsoft.

I glanced through Keith Teare's papers at his personal web site, and just can't see the fuss.

Microsoft chose to terminate the relationship with RealNames. With the nebulous nature of the product, the overall opinion against such centralized technology in today's market, and the business proposal I don't see how anyone could be surprised by this decision.

RealNames owed Microsoft $25.5m on May 2nd. They didn't have it. They issued a counter-proposal. Microsoft wasn't interested. RealNames bites the dust.

Teare believes that Microsoft isn't demonstrating vision in its current direction, and is seeking solutions that it can control. Maybe so, but consider the proposed future direction for RealNames: Centralized, proprietary, flat architectured Keyword technology in partnership with a company such as Verisign.

I have a hard time identifying with one proprietary, centralized, patent-holding company fighting back at another proprietary, centralized, patent-holding company.

However, I do have sympathy for the 75 people in Redwood City that lost their jobs.