"If the J3 deal is worth zero today, it gets reported as zero...."

Exactly. I don't know how you guys can be reading what has been provided/not provided any differently. They can only report revenue that has been recognized. If it has not been recognized / recorded they cannot report it in a Q.

To illustrate - If - for example- running royalties have not been determined yet due to the "explicit technical detail" analyses and extra time and effort required in the event of per product royalties (possibly past and future) those numbers could not possibly be mentioned (NDA) nor could they be recorded because the dollar amount was unknown at the breakpoint for when numbers are or are not included in the Q.

Would you be more satisfied if they came out and said "more money in an unknown amount might be coming on deal we cannot provide any additional information about because it is covered by a tight NDA" ?

In my experience - Every stock I have ever owned is similarly "minimalist" in the way information is disclosed. This stock is no different in this regard. They tell us the exact minimum that is required of them and no more. This is the least risky way in which they can communicate with their shareholders.

Is it effective communication from the standpoint of an investor wanting to make a "fully informed" decision on their investment? Hell no!

Is it the norm. Yes.