For the last two months, 15 friends and employees, many of whom quit previous jobs, have worked 60 hours a week without pay to establish a Eugene-based business that provides computer support services and software.Ben Markum, the CEO of Markum Communications Corporation, said the group, which includes current and former University students, is living off Top Ramen. Everyone is in debt because they have collectively invested tens of thousands of dollars into the venture. Markum said he is personally over $50,000 in debt in his seventh week of working for free.
“The idea wasn’t to become bankrupt,” Markum said. “But everyone believes in it. I am 100 percent confident that we are going to succeed.”
While working for the Los Angeles-based OnSystems Inc., Markum helped develop software called Tijit — a term students remember from when it appeared written in sidewalk chalk on campus earlier this term.With a PC and an Internet connection, Tijit users can transfer files of any type and size — including music, text and video files — to other Tijit users all over the world. Other benefits include instant messaging and chatting.
Tijit uses peer-to-peer technology that connects computers directly, bypassing a central server, which is how most computers are currently connected.
Tijit encrypts all the transmitted data, which means that it is more secure than many Web sites. Download time for transferring information with Tijit varies depending on a person’s Internet connection, Markum said.
Markum said Tijit is more advanced than Napster, which only lets people transfer music files.
Markum co-founded the company with his brother, Jon, who dropped out of Lane Community College to work for the company.
The brothers leased a 7,000-square-foot home at 1819 Fairmount Blvd. The bedrooms, living room and indoor gymnasium were converted into offices, and the work began.
Markum, a graduate of Harvey Mudd College in California, said MCC does not actually own the technology it is marketing. Rather, the company has special licensing that allows it to “distribute free versions to groups.”
MCC is currently researching 60 potential corporations that might be interested in Tijit, Markum said, but the company is also targeting non-profit organizations.
In mid-January, the word Tijit began appearing around campus. Freshman Matt Merback looks at one of the Tijit markings outside Grab ‘N Go.
“We would like to get everyone using it,” Markum said.
Local groups such as the ASUO, the Cultural Forum, the Women’s Center and ROTC have been given demonstrations of the program, which would allow them to transfer files for free.
Dong Il Jang, who graduated fall term from the University with a degree in history and anthropology, joined MCC as the market, sales and human resources coordinator. Jang said applications such as video conferencing and network video gaming are in development.
“I just love working with my friends, and I want to see my friends succeed,” Jang said. “You don’t really have the opportunity to work with your friends in the professional world, but this gives us the opportunity to take it to the next level.”
Jacob Herbold, MCC’s chief technology officer, said he turned down an offer in the Bay Area to work for MCC.
“It seemed like a waste of my youth. So I’m here instead, and what we are doing is more exciting,” Herbold said. “There is a bigger chance for change with what we are working on.”
Herbold said he hopes Tijit will be used to securely connect people in distance learning. He also said Tijit has the potential to eliminate floppy disks, which can easily damage, lose or corrupt the data on them.
“I hope people don’t have to carry floppy disks around campus anymore,” Herbold said.
Seth Re’voal, a sophomore multimedia design major, said after testing a demonstration version of Tijit, he found it was simpler than other means of transferring files, such as File Transfer Protocol. The software could be easily used in his fraternity, Delta Tau Delta, he said, and would allow a connection among not only the house members, but possibly chapters nationwide.
Re’voal also said the University could benefit from the software.
“If the University were to get online with Tijit software, it would greatly facilitate the transfer of information and ideas and improve learning efficiency,” he said.
More information about MCC and Tijit is available at www.markumcc.com.
