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So good. Some of my favorites: > David Cowan’s college friend rented her garage to Sergey and Larry for their first year. In 1999 and 2000 she tried to introdu

So good. Some of my favorites: > David Cowan’s college friend rented her garage to Sergey and Larry for their first year. In 1999 and 2000 she tried to introduce Cowan to “these two really smart Stanford students writing a search engine.” Students? A new search engine? In the most important moment ever for Bessemer’s anti-portfolio, Cowan asked her, “How can I get out of this house without going anywhere near your garage?” > Jeremy Levine spent a weekend at a corporate retreat in the summer of 2004 dodging persistent Harvard undergrad Eduardo Saverin’s rabid pitch. Finally, cornered in a lunch line, Jeremy delivered some sage advice, “Kid, haven’t you heard of Friendster? Move on. It’s over!”

opminion 2y ago
Thank you. I had missed that the grey icons are hyperlinks with interesting stories.
- MrsPeaches 2y ago
  Ebay: “Stamps? Coins? Comic books? You’ve GOT to be kidding,” thought David Cowan. “No-brainer pass.”
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
makerdiety 2y ago
It was possible to write a search engine in the year 2000? Or any software at all for that matter? And writing a software application is much different from writing a mere academic research paper. By being harder and more technical. It, writing software, is engineering actually. Writing software is engineering, backed by computer science knowledge. So, the point is, that has there been a growth of resources and capabilities—opportunities—for motivated individuals to write software apps that are much stronger and capable than their 1990s predecessors? Common sense says "Yes, of course!" But a comprehensive look says no one who is social nor someone who is educated is doing anything like what Sergey and Larry have done for their pre-Google generation. No one is writing anything, no one is building, and least of all is anyone who does the college education thing building anything remotely close to the next Facebook or Google. There are no engineers today. Just drones doing financially compensated development. No passion for building. Instead just doing what is told to do and for to be done.
- ethbr1 2y ago
  That's because it's easier and more profitable to get acquired by Facebook, Google, et al. Reversing that (so it's easier and more profitable to compete and outgrow them) is step 1.
  - disgruntledphd2 2y ago
    And that's why VCs and tech in general should be in favour of strong antitrust and competition law.
- lovethevoid 2y ago
  They could build because they were left alone and had to prove themselves over time. Now? The split second you have any sort of potential of profitability, you’re surrounded by vultures before you had a chance to grow. You’re bought out, brand changed, and the behemoths get even bigger. Despite all the fuss over passion, even Sergey and Larry would have abandoned it all for the type of money being thrown around in recent years.

opminion 2y ago

Thank you. I had missed that the grey icons are hyperlinks with interesting stories.

MrsPeaches 2y ago
Ebay: “Stamps? Coins? Comic books? You’ve GOT to be kidding,” thought David Cowan. “No-brainer pass.”
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]

makerdiety 2y ago

It was possible to write a search engine in the year 2000? Or any software at all for that matter? And writing a software application is much different from writing a mere academic research paper. By being harder and more technical. It, writing software, is engineering actually. Writing software is engineering, backed by computer science knowledge. So, the point is, that has there been a growth of resources and capabilities—opportunities—for motivated individuals to write software apps that are much stronger and capable than their 1990s predecessors? Common sense says "Yes, of course!" But a comprehensive look says no one who is social nor someone who is educated is doing anything like what Sergey and Larry have done for their pre-Google generation. No one is writing anything, no one is building, and least of all is anyone who does the college education thing building anything remotely close to the next Facebook or Google. There are no engineers today. Just drones doing financially compensated development. No passion for building. Instead just doing what is told to do and for to be done.

ethbr1 2y ago
That's because it's easier and more profitable to get acquired by Facebook, Google, et al. Reversing that (so it's easier and more profitable to compete and outgrow them) is step 1.
- disgruntledphd2 2y ago
  And that's why VCs and tech in general should be in favour of strong antitrust and competition law.
lovethevoid 2y ago
They could build because they were left alone and had to prove themselves over time. Now? The split second you have any sort of potential of profitability, you’re surrounded by vultures before you had a chance to grow. You’re bought out, brand changed, and the behemoths get even bigger. Despite all the fuss over passion, even Sergey and Larry would have abandoned it all for the type of money being thrown around in recent years.