Off Line

Given the sorry history of the venture, that may seem hard to understand, but Steve Herskowitz has an explanation. "Faith," says Herskowitz, who is helping with the new company's legal affairs. "It's the answer. It may be foolish, but once in a lifetime you have the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of something that becomes part of virtually every household in the world.

"In spite of all the missed paychecks and all the turmoil and all the problems, that's why we're here.