5 ms·

Tesla motors was incorporated/founded by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning and not Musk

ALittleLight 4y ago
Eberhard sued Musk challenging his right to call himself a founder and the case resolved such that Musk gets to keep calling himself a founder. Musk was a major source of funding early on, putting in about 6 million out of a 7 million dollar raise, served as chairman of the board, headed product design for the Roadster, and took over as CEO before they launched the Roadster. Tesla publicly acknowledges him as a founder. The founder title is one that a company gives to individuals crucial in the early formation of the company. Musk clearly qualifies. I'm saying all this because I think it's very lame that Musk critics try to say he's not a founder of Tesla. Hate Musk all you want, just use real criticism and not this sophomoric "he's not a Tesla founder" stuff.
- hgsgm 4y ago
  Yes, Musk bought the Founder title from Eberhard. In some countries, "moral rights" ban the practice of buying and selling the right to change facts like authorship.
  - LightBug1 4y ago
    "buying and selling the right to change facts like authorship"... That line made me shiver with disgust... good for those countries.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - ALittleLight 4y ago
    You're allowing your personal feelings for Musk to interfere with facts. Musk provided money, design, and leadership at critical early stages of the company. He's obviously a founder and you are simply wrong for disputing that.
    - now__what 4y ago
      It sounds like he was an influential early investor, but the situation you've described isn't what I would typically think of as "founding" a company. I'm surely not alone in this, thus the present debate. This isn't to diminish Musk's huge influence either; but folks tend not to love when the meanings of words are changed for PR.
      - ALittleLight 4y ago
        [flagged]
        kingboss 4y ago
        Musk was not a founder. He might have been an early investor but he didn't found the company. Stop lying with your fucking propaganda. I hope Musk bought you a pony for your bullshit. You are a musk shill. Stop trying to rewrite history you shill.
        ALittleLight 4y ago
        Musk is a founder in literally every sense of the word. He joined the company early, was a key investor, designed early products, and had a major leadership role (chairman of the board and then CEO) - from the start. In addition, the matter has been adjudicated in a court of law - Musk is a founder. The company Tesla recognizes him as a founder. Against the overwhelming and undisputed evidence and common sense you have only childish insults. You don't even try to make your case. Sad, but at least you know you're wrong.
        deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
        dang 4y ago
        You can't attack fellow users like this on HN. I've banned the account. No one is saying you owe $billionaire better but you certainly owe this community much better if you're participating here. If you don't want to be banned, you're welcome to email hn@ycombinator.com and give us reason to believe that you'll follow the rules in the future. They're here: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html.

Eberhard sued Musk challenging his right to call himself a founder and the case resolved such that Musk gets to keep calling himself a founder. Musk was a major source of funding early on, putting in about 6 million out of a 7 million dollar raise, served as chairman of the board, headed product design for the Roadster, and took over as CEO before they launched the Roadster. Tesla publicly acknowledges him as a founder. The founder title is one that a company gives to individuals crucial in the early formation of the company. Musk clearly qualifies. I'm saying all this because I think it's very lame that Musk critics try to say he's not a founder of Tesla. Hate Musk all you want, just use real criticism and not this sophomoric "he's not a Tesla founder" stuff.

hgsgm 4y ago
Yes, Musk bought the Founder title from Eberhard. In some countries, "moral rights" ban the practice of buying and selling the right to change facts like authorship.
- LightBug1 4y ago
  "buying and selling the right to change facts like authorship"... That line made me shiver with disgust... good for those countries.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- ALittleLight 4y ago
  You're allowing your personal feelings for Musk to interfere with facts. Musk provided money, design, and leadership at critical early stages of the company. He's obviously a founder and you are simply wrong for disputing that.
  - now__what 4y ago
    It sounds like he was an influential early investor, but the situation you've described isn't what I would typically think of as "founding" a company. I'm surely not alone in this, thus the present debate. This isn't to diminish Musk's huge influence either; but folks tend not to love when the meanings of words are changed for PR.
    - ALittleLight 4y ago
      [flagged]
      - kingboss 4y ago
        Musk was not a founder. He might have been an early investor but he didn't found the company. Stop lying with your fucking propaganda. I hope Musk bought you a pony for your bullshit. You are a musk shill. Stop trying to rewrite history you shill.
        ALittleLight 4y ago
        Musk is a founder in literally every sense of the word. He joined the company early, was a key investor, designed early products, and had a major leadership role (chairman of the board and then CEO) - from the start. In addition, the matter has been adjudicated in a court of law - Musk is a founder. The company Tesla recognizes him as a founder. Against the overwhelming and undisputed evidence and common sense you have only childish insults. You don't even try to make your case. Sad, but at least you know you're wrong.
        deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
        dang 4y ago
        You can't attack fellow users like this on HN. I've banned the account. No one is saying you owe $billionaire better but you certainly owe this community much better if you're participating here. If you don't want to be banned, you're welcome to email hn@ycombinator.com and give us reason to believe that you'll follow the rules in the future. They're here: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html.