Shares in this company can be bought today at about the same price.
Restricted stock requires fewer shares to provide a similar level of benefit as compared to what would be needed for options because awards have value even if the share price declines. In understands FAT16, FAT32, Linux, BeOS, and more. Shares in this company can be bought today at about the same price. Netpliance is still not bankrupt financially, anyway.
Shares can carry dividend or voting rights, if the company chooses. Ownership is only held by people interested enough to make a financial sacrifice. If employees own shares as individuals, as opposed to through some kind of trust or similar arrangement, they may feel more like real owners.
Restricted stock has no value unless there is a market for the shares at some point. The company cannot take a tax deduction for the value of the gain employees eventually realize if employees have made a Section 83b election to have the gain taxed as a capital gain. There are two ways of course of making money out of an investment. Often used just for key employees, they also can be used more broadly.