Now that I'm working on a proper startup -- raising money, building a product, hiring a team, making deals, acquiring customers... I feel a renewed deep respect

Now that I'm working on a proper startup -- raising money, building a product, hiring a team, making deals, acquiring customers... I feel a renewed deep respect for people who actually make things. No amount of hearing "the idea isn't as important as the execution", no amount of startup culture indoctrination can really prepare you for doing it yourself. Building something that people want is just so much harder than anyone could possibly imagine until they try it. I don't think any typical judge could possibly understand. If they did, a case about "he stole the idea" would be instantly thrown out with prejudice. The idea is so unbelievably inconsequential in the scope of skill, determination, and heart needed to succeed. Even if Zuck mislead these guys into thinking he was building this exact product for them and on their time, I don't think they are entitled to anything. Even if the Harvard Connection was the most popular social network and Zuckerberg was hired as a 10th engineer and left and build Facebook to compete. I don't think they'd be entitled to a dime. Love him or hate him, Zuckerberg built an incredible business with a stellar team in a remarkably short time period. Luck was involved, but this was no accident.