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The fascinating thing about Buffet is that so many people claim to respect him and his opinions while they do the exact opposite. Fundamental value investing?

The fascinating thing about Buffet is that so many people claim to respect him and his opinions while they do the exact opposite. Fundamental value investing? Investing only in companies that you really understand? Taking a long view? All seem to be horribly out of fashion the moment people start feeling exuberant. While people are investing millions in yet-another-photo-service, what was the last big thing Buffet bought into, railroads?

bradleyland 16y ago
It's hard to compare tech investors to Warren Buffet. He doesn't do tech because he doesn't know it. He invests in what he knows, which tend to be companies that have a physical deliverable.
- juiceandjuice 16y ago
  I think he knows about tech. I think he doesn't invest in it because it's volatile.
  - tsotha 16y ago
    In the past he's pretty much said straight out he doesn't understand it. You can take that a couple of different ways. I doubt he's a technophobe, but I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't really understand the difference between, say, an application and and operating system.
- Swannie 16y ago
  Well I'd argue Warren has bought into tech, just physical delivery tech, not pure software tech. This is understandable tech. Particularly I'm thinking of Iscar, who use some of the most advanced manufacturing techniques to make special tools for metal working. It would be hard to argue that this company don't very heavily leverage software, to the point where is part of their product. http://www.iscar.com/ http://www.iscar.com/ MiTek is another company, who specifically sell engineering software, along with building technology: connectors, joists, beams, roofing etc. www.mitek.com
juiceandjuice 16y ago
Exactly. Railroads have been around 150+ years, and they'll probably be around another 150. No social networking company has even been around 10. Who knows if there will be a facebook in 2020?
chr15 16y ago
You can still respect someone and not subscribe to all of their philosophies/ideologies. They aren't mutually exclusive. I have enormous respect for Buffet. He clearly knows what he's doing. However, his investment style isn't compatible with my appetite for risk.

bradleyland 16y ago

It's hard to compare tech investors to Warren Buffet. He doesn't do tech because he doesn't know it. He invests in what he knows, which tend to be companies that have a physical deliverable.

juiceandjuice 16y ago
I think he knows about tech. I think he doesn't invest in it because it's volatile.
- tsotha 16y ago
  In the past he's pretty much said straight out he doesn't understand it. You can take that a couple of different ways. I doubt he's a technophobe, but I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't really understand the difference between, say, an application and and operating system.
Swannie 16y ago
Well I'd argue Warren has bought into tech, just physical delivery tech, not pure software tech. This is understandable tech. Particularly I'm thinking of Iscar, who use some of the most advanced manufacturing techniques to make special tools for metal working. It would be hard to argue that this company don't very heavily leverage software, to the point where is part of their product. http://www.iscar.com/ http://www.iscar.com/ MiTek is another company, who specifically sell engineering software, along with building technology: connectors, joists, beams, roofing etc. www.mitek.com

juiceandjuice 16y ago

Exactly. Railroads have been around 150+ years, and they'll probably be around another 150. No social networking company has even been around 10. Who knows if there will be a facebook in 2020?

chr15 16y ago

You can still respect someone and not subscribe to all of their philosophies/ideologies. They aren't mutually exclusive. I have enormous respect for Buffet. He clearly knows what he's doing. However, his investment style isn't compatible with my appetite for risk.