Conflict of interest?
HEXUS.channel: How do you answer accusations of there being a conflict of interest in your creation of this association?
Simon Steggles: It's difficult. I am trying to help the users that require the data recovery service that we supply. This is a feeling that is not exclusive to me. It's shared by many others. I sometimes think that perhaps those that are negative are not qualified to be members? Perhaps I too am cynical?
Obviously, as a member, in time we will benefit, (as all members will). In the forums, there are lots of comments stating that an association is required, however no-one else got off their backsides to do anything about it.
I spent a few months setting it up, setting very high standards for people/organisations to achieve to become members, and have had a mixed response from the industry. Some that are positive about the IPDRA say that we are trying to give end users something to differentiate the high quality data recovery companies from the not so professional or technically inferior ones. Those that are not so positive say that it's just a marketing gimmick for Disklabs. That's not the case.
The site, membership and everything about it free. It's all at the cost of Disklabs. Sometimes the right thing is done for the right reasons.
HC: Is there any money taken in or paid out?
SS: No. There is no way of paying the IPDRA. Its 100 percent free. All the costs are covered by Disklabs - it's our contribution to the industry.
