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I didn't expect that comment, but it's so true. If it was a vote for the most influential person (is it?) basically people would be voting for themselves. I st

I didn't expect that comment, but it's so true. If it was a vote for the most influential person (is it?) basically people would be voting for themselves. I still don't get why people give Zuck all the credit. And I'm not talking about the creation myth about the company. I'm just saying that for a long time his company has probably not been steered by a 20 year-old. These days he's likely been coached just to not come off as a robot. But business-wise I don't get the impression it's all him either.

vidar 16y ago
They give him all the credit because that is the story given by FB, its a large part of their marketing strategy.
seanalltogether 16y ago
You could apply that statement to the founder of most companies but it doesn't make it true. A good founder knows how to focus their talents, not control the entire chain. However that doesn't mean they aren't one of the most important links in that chain.
- rbanffy 16y ago
  Indeed he is. He could have sold Facebook to Microsoft. They would, inevitably, rename it "Windows Live Facebook" before canning the whole thing.
brown9-2 16y ago
"has probably not been steered by a 20 year-old", "he's likely been coached just to not come off as a robot" How much of this is speculation and how much of this is fact? Either way, it's not like having advisors or help makes someone's accomplishments important. Presidents have armies of staff, all CEO's have advisors and aides and coaches, and Assange doesn't run wikileaks alone.
- napierzaza 16y ago
  Do you really believe that Facebook is driven by Zuckerberg? All things considered there are a lot of descisions an a lot of deals to be done. Couple that with a lot of investors and a lot of money, and you're not going to let the Zuck learn by making billion dollar mistakes. The comparison with Steve Jobs etc have been more marketing than fact. It's kind of unbelievable that you're believing any differently. Steve Jobs also likely had a great deal of coaching at the beginning, that's why they hired real business people and that's why Facebook has done the same. Not to mention partnering with countless tech businesses.
  - brown9-2 16y ago
    Do you really believe that Facebook is driven by Zuckerberg? No, but I'm not quite sure why it matters. No business with 1000+ employees is driven by a single person. If Steve Jobs was "Person of the Year" for 2010 for some of Apple's accomplishments, would we be sitting around discussing how it's wrong to give him the award because he doesn't run every aspect of Apple all by himself? The CEO and founder is the face of a company, that's just the way it is. My other large nitpick here though is making criticism based on personal speculation... "probably doesn't make all decisions", "is likely getting help" etc.
- code_duck 16y ago
  It's not possible for someone outside of Facebook's executive management to state any of that as fact. What do you expect?
code_duck 16y ago
Millions of dollars in Accel/In-Q-Tel money doesn't come with no strings attached, after all. A business the size of Facebook or even 2% the size can't all be the work of one person, of course. They like to make it seem that way for marketing purposes. Why they don't choose someone less creepy, I"m not sure. I guess like a lot of other douchebag founders, Zuckerberg stays in the limelight to feed his ego.

vidar 16y ago

They give him all the credit because that is the story given by FB, its a large part of their marketing strategy.

seanalltogether 16y ago

You could apply that statement to the founder of most companies but it doesn't make it true. A good founder knows how to focus their talents, not control the entire chain. However that doesn't mean they aren't one of the most important links in that chain.

rbanffy 16y ago
Indeed he is. He could have sold Facebook to Microsoft. They would, inevitably, rename it "Windows Live Facebook" before canning the whole thing.

brown9-2 16y ago

"has probably not been steered by a 20 year-old", "he's likely been coached just to not come off as a robot" How much of this is speculation and how much of this is fact? Either way, it's not like having advisors or help makes someone's accomplishments important. Presidents have armies of staff, all CEO's have advisors and aides and coaches, and Assange doesn't run wikileaks alone.

napierzaza 16y ago
Do you really believe that Facebook is driven by Zuckerberg? All things considered there are a lot of descisions an a lot of deals to be done. Couple that with a lot of investors and a lot of money, and you're not going to let the Zuck learn by making billion dollar mistakes. The comparison with Steve Jobs etc have been more marketing than fact. It's kind of unbelievable that you're believing any differently. Steve Jobs also likely had a great deal of coaching at the beginning, that's why they hired real business people and that's why Facebook has done the same. Not to mention partnering with countless tech businesses.
- brown9-2 16y ago
  Do you really believe that Facebook is driven by Zuckerberg? No, but I'm not quite sure why it matters. No business with 1000+ employees is driven by a single person. If Steve Jobs was "Person of the Year" for 2010 for some of Apple's accomplishments, would we be sitting around discussing how it's wrong to give him the award because he doesn't run every aspect of Apple all by himself? The CEO and founder is the face of a company, that's just the way it is. My other large nitpick here though is making criticism based on personal speculation... "probably doesn't make all decisions", "is likely getting help" etc.
code_duck 16y ago
It's not possible for someone outside of Facebook's executive management to state any of that as fact. What do you expect?

code_duck 16y ago

Millions of dollars in Accel/In-Q-Tel money doesn't come with no strings attached, after all. A business the size of Facebook or even 2% the size can't all be the work of one person, of course. They like to make it seem that way for marketing purposes. Why they don't choose someone less creepy, I"m not sure. I guess like a lot of other douchebag founders, Zuckerberg stays in the limelight to feed his ego.