I only explained the reality of a classified environment. Those company officers were not in any trouble. An agent of the company was cognizant of the terms.

Likewise, when it comes to licensing, TPL is our agent (or Alliacense, or PDS - bottom line, Lecky/TPL). TPL was cognizant of the terms. Read the Master Agreement - they are our agent in licensing. The settlement was achieved via Licensing.

Also, the point that you apparently missed is that when the level of importance rises, the sensitivity to mis-step rises. If THE biggest deal in the company's history was at stake, what level of importance should be assigned? Tell everybody in both companies (TPL & PTSC)and hope for the best? Or lock it down to the absolute fewest possible?

What if the Confidentiality Clause specified that nobody "outside of this room, at this moment" can be told? Would T&T/TPL yell "no deal, our partner - the one which has had no involvement at all in these negotiations - MUST be fully apprised"?

This is, at this point, a pointless argument. I just resent your jumping to conclusions, even if you thought they were well based, and assigning my name to it. And in the Subject line. You ASSUMED, and it wasn't cool.

SGE