We're hearing that several investors in Tellme, sold to Microsoft for $880m, didn't make it through the voice recognition company's seven lean years. They cut their losses in the secondary market in 2002 and 2003, when the company's future looked bleak, and are now kicking themselves. According to the Capital IQ database, AT&T, the Barksdale Group and Bowman Capital Management don't show up as current shareholders. One other reporter who knows Tellme says that Jim Barksdale's fund, set up by the Netscape chief exec after the browser company was sold, did stick with its investment. Maybe the holding was transferred to another vehicle. Anyhow, we're stumped. Anyone care to clarify? Update: Tellme and Barksdale have confirmed the venture fund kept all its holdings.

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