After a recent story in which sources suggested Los Altos-based Rambus may have a slim chance of gaining more market share in the performance segment, the e-mails started to roll in. One reader suggested I do my homework on the Quad Band Memory (QBM) spec created by Kentron Technologies, which will extend the bandwidth of DDR. Those specs are pegged to a bulletin board above my desk.

Another reader was more direct: "You write, and think, crap."

Since joining EE Times, I haven't covered anything that elicits such fervency. And bear in mind that this latest round of feedback is much more tepid than that of a year ago, in which my mother's reputation did not fare well. At the time, I was following the prospects of DDR and Rambus from the perspective of Taiwanese system designers. Rambus was shaping up to be the clear loser, despite its technology edge and backing from Intel Corp.

The demise of Apple Computer brings back memories of similar e-mail campaigns. A colleague remembers waking on more than one occasion to find his e-mail box deluged with Apple lovers who despised him at the first negative word of their beloved company and its superior technology. In comparison, I'm getting kid-glove treatment.

He tried opening a dialogue with readers, but it didn't work well. I've done the same, with varying results. One reader insisted, through several e-mails, that Rambus would win out last year simply because of superior technology. We all know that wasn't so. This year, and in years to come, it will still be DDR's game to lose, especially with dual-channel DDR chip sets due out this year, along with Kentron's QBM.

That will be offset by third-party Rambus chip set support from Silicon Integrated Systems and a push by Rambus to develop a channel market. All of these developments bear watching.

The company appears humbled from missteps in the past. Instead of owning the PC market, Rambus executives hope for an influential chunk of the high-end, to expand on success in the consumer space with game consoles and to expand their limited business in communications.

Certainly, there are many who believe the company doesn't stand a chance. I'd like to hear from you. Conversely, where are all the Rambus boosters who filled my e-mail box last year? I'm interested in your viewpoints as well.

Just remember, my mother doesn't know the difference between DRAM and RDRAM, so let's keep her out of this.