I don't think that was true. Back when the iPhone and Google or even Google Docs were recent artifacts, there was a lot of positive press and interest from trad

I don't think that was true. Back when the iPhone and Google or even Google Docs were recent artifacts, there was a lot of positive press and interest from traditionally east coast enterprises, like politicos, about it. Popularity as polled was high too. A lot of stuff has happened since then. Among them, the increasing optimization and understanding of surveillance business models, and a long-term ultra-low interest rate phenomena moving the allowing some...very odd marginal uses of capital. The culture changed a lot too: from 1999 to 2011, if you look at the number of college applicants to computer science and/or computer engineering was cruising along. At 2011 it really started to take off (here I use UC Berkeley as a proxy, because I happen to know that number). I don't mean to suggest things would be better if they were put back the way they were -- for one, people in the field made way, way less money back then -- but it was...different. And the way it was embedded in the culture was different, this sudden change in applicants is more effect than cause. To relate a story: As a young man, I was visiting family in New York. I speak briefly with another young person, who asks what I do. I say "I'm a software engineer" and she asks "what do they do?" (My description: it's a bit like being an accountant, for computer programs) Technology's place in the consciousness was so much smaller, a fun little producer of shiny baubles from time to time, already through its silly season in 1999. Well.