Hey Dani, you're one of the few HN users that I specifically check the threads page for. I respect that you want to tackle big, important problems -- not just b

Hey Dani, you're one of the few HN users that I specifically check the threads page for. I respect that you want to tackle big, important problems -- not just build Another Social Thingy -- and that you've moved beyond the "YC way" and forged ahead, and so far have continued to be successful more-or-less on your own. Just a kudos to let you know there are at least a couple of people that are interested in what you're doing. As for your comment: > I'm saying that I've noticed that people seem look upon them either positively or negatively based upon their size, rather than their deeds. There is a certain natural distrust of anything which becomes overwhelmingly powerful. > ...how rapidly Google went from being perceived as the do-gooder saviors of the new economy to being called Evil. Viewed on the balance I haven't detected much of a change in their behavior, and I am very happy about having Google in my world. On the balance, maybe, but Google did set some very high standards for itself, and it's impossible to argue that they've met those standards in all cases. I do think they're a hell of an improvement over the megacorporations of the past, but I also think that people have good reasons at this point to regard them somewhat warily. A lot of people are beginning to realize for example that Google is not really a technology company, they are an advertising company that uses technology very effectively. > ...accused of, alternately, conjuring government support through climate lies, or using the latest craze to aid a power-grab. The CRU leak brought the crazy out on HN in spades. I, for one, lost a terrible amount of respect for the site in general during that whole episode, and I don't think that's going to really ever change. On the plus side, now it's easier to keep the site at arm's length, and not get too involved in whatever the latest frenzy is. > I can't think of any major problem society faces that wouldn't be helped on the balance by better and easier communication, and I think Facebook aids that (as do cellphones, Skype, email, Twitter, etc.). Hmm. I figured that IRC was actually one of the best developments in terms of free and easy international communication; unfortunately, it seems to be going the way of Usenet. Facebook however tends to try to associate users by pre-existing connections, so it's mostly local for most people. And Twitter -- well, it was kind of alright, but it got grabbed in a hurry by all the "social media networking gurus", and I just don't see much in the way of real social benefit there anymore.