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Again, this is a standard trope at HN,but is wrong - they are not primarily financial it goes like hedge fund or PE guys. Most top tier firms are made up of for

Again, this is a standard trope at HN,but is wrong - they are not primarily financial it goes like hedge fund or PE guys. Most top tier firms are made up of former entrepreneur types. And the idea that they all don't invest in groundbreaking technology is because quite frankly a perception issue here - is the average YC company a groundbreaking tech or closer to an Instagram? A lot of the clean tech investing was disastrous, but that is an example where a lot of interesting tech was backed, some of which has hit the market. Jut because it doesn't reach the front page here does not mean it doesn't happen.

tptacek 13y ago
My point was that it doesn't much matter what the VC partners think, because they're simply not in a position to fund massive civil infrastructure projects. Even the former- entrepreneur- types; they're getting their money from the same places.
hnriot 13y ago
It is not wrong. To make matters worse you'd need to look at the history books to better appreciate what indeed actually is "groundbreaking tech" and how it evolves. Science and technology is nudged along with micro breakthroughs. The history books are full of what appear to be big breakthroughs but when you look past the surface you'll discover how they really happen. Your experience of VC firms appears to be very limited, I'm guessing though you were top in your class (probably two years ago), and now think when you say something, it automatically becomes "the word".
- tptacek 13y ago
  Wow was that last sentence ever unwarranted and unproductive.
  - hnriot 13y ago
    neither, perfectly warranted, read his other comments that are written with great authority, but often substantively wrong.
    - tptacek 13y ago
      If your points are strong, they don't need to be covered in barbs. Barbs are a "tell"; they indicate bluster, which is what people deploy when they don't know that they're talking about. You're making it harder to take you seriously and should change your tactics.

tptacek 13y ago

My point was that it doesn't much matter what the VC partners think, because they're simply not in a position to fund massive civil infrastructure projects. Even the former- entrepreneur- types; they're getting their money from the same places.

hnriot 13y ago

It is not wrong. To make matters worse you'd need to look at the history books to better appreciate what indeed actually is "groundbreaking tech" and how it evolves. Science and technology is nudged along with micro breakthroughs. The history books are full of what appear to be big breakthroughs but when you look past the surface you'll discover how they really happen. Your experience of VC firms appears to be very limited, I'm guessing though you were top in your class (probably two years ago), and now think when you say something, it automatically becomes "the word".

tptacek 13y ago
Wow was that last sentence ever unwarranted and unproductive.
- hnriot 13y ago
  neither, perfectly warranted, read his other comments that are written with great authority, but often substantively wrong.
  - tptacek 13y ago
    If your points are strong, they don't need to be covered in barbs. Barbs are a "tell"; they indicate bluster, which is what people deploy when they don't know that they're talking about. You're making it harder to take you seriously and should change your tactics.