Interesting thread. "small people discuss people, intelligent...

Interesting thread.
"small people discuss people, intelligent people discuss ideas" IMO. But...if a person can't clearly discuss the idea, lost potential through poor presentation is certainly valid; basic marketing. SI wouldn't be the first scientist/technologist with issues expressing themself clearly & succinctly in a business/commercial setting. On the other hand, there's no shortage of slick sales pitches by technically-uninformed marketing staff spruiking marginal-product (bio)technologies; & that's definitely not the case here with SI.

SI's presentation style is unusually painful (if memorable..perhaps reverse marketing?) Further benelong; one just has to look past the messenger in this case & focus on msb core products and technologies; trusting potential commercial partners do the same.

dv's point about Australian -v- US communication styles is certainly my experience. The former have increasingly developed a tolerance for commercial/political/academic/rhetorical twaddle over the past 15 yrs that is not tolerated in the US (IMHO). Didn't used to be that way.

(Hopefully humorous) scenario: SI giving this presentation to The Donald (Trump.) Although I suspect the latter's interest would be restricted to potential treatments for that orange thing on his own head.