Comments on: Bad time/Good time http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/ ressources for the impatient digerati - links, thoughts, ideas Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:12:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: digeratInc.com » 7 Reasons Why Web Apps Fail http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-33 digeratInc.com » 7 Reasons Why Web Apps Fail Mon, 15 May 2006 16:46:21 +0000 http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-33 [...] By Alex Feedbacks on this entry via RSS 2.0 Please leave a Comment or discuss via Trackback! Comments Please Leave aComment! [...] […] By Alex Feedbacks on this entry via RSS 2.0 Please leave a Comment or discuss via Trackback! Comments Please Leave aComment! […]

]]> By: Donny Ng http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-26 Donny Ng Tue, 11 Apr 2006 05:38:24 +0000 http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-26 The lesson of the day is business before technology. I bet lot of business folks don't care if you are using Web 10.0 as long as it makes $$$ for them. The bottom line is, to be substainable, your product/service must create value for other businesses and they are willing to pay for it. The lesson of the day is business before technology. I bet lot of business folks don’t care if you are using Web 10.0 as long as it makes $$$ for them.

The bottom line is, to be substainable, your product/service must create value for other businesses and they are willing to pay for it.

]]> By: Alex http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-25 Alex Mon, 10 Apr 2006 14:46:43 +0000 http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-25 Marquee, you've got a great blog over there. As you've read above, I agree with you that there's simply TOO MUCH FUSS around Web2.0, but still, one can't deny what Web2.0's merits have been: fewer popups, fewer marquees :D , much easier-on-the eyes design, and some cool ways of expressing yourself (blogs, flickr). Web2.0 is over, and entrepreneurs should really get this into their minds. Web2.0 is gone, it's been gone for almost a year now. Anybody trying to launch a Web2.0 product should understand that just using Ajax, cooler webdesign and lots of broadband doesn't make a hit. There is something around called "usefulness" and if a product is just a knock-off of another one, cheaper and more stylish, perhaps with two features more, it won't make it a success. That's all there is to it. Marquee, you’ve got a great blog over there.

As you’ve read above, I agree with you that there’s simply TOO MUCH FUSS around Web2.0, but still, one can’t deny what Web2.0’s merits have been: fewer popups, fewer marquees :D , much easier-on-the eyes design, and some cool ways of expressing yourself (blogs, flickr).

Web2.0 is over, and entrepreneurs should really get this into their minds. Web2.0 is gone, it’s been gone for almost a year now.

Anybody trying to launch a Web2.0 product should understand that just using Ajax, cooler webdesign and lots of broadband doesn’t make a hit.

There is something around called “usefulness” and if a product is just a knock-off of another one, cheaper and more stylish, perhaps with two features more, it won’t make it a success. That’s all there is to it.

]]> By: Marquee http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-24 Marquee Mon, 10 Apr 2006 12:46:11 +0000 http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-24 Well said. The only people who are promoting "web 2.0" are the people who think it's something and media people who have been already brainwashed. Well said. The only people who are promoting “web 2.0″ are the people who think it’s something and media people who have been already brainwashed.

]]> By: Martin Wisse http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-22 Martin Wisse Mon, 03 Apr 2006 13:40:19 +0000 http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-22 What all these Ra ra startup! zealots forget to mention is that you need an <i>idea</i> first... Me-too startups will rarely succeed. What google, flickr, blogger and such have in common is that they all inhabit an obvious-in-hindsight niche and a good idea on how to exploit this niche. What they also have in common is once this niche has become succesful, there is no point in trying to establish yourself in it, as everybody will be using the first service to exploit this niche. Your startup will no dethrone flickr; that needs a Microsoft to do so. What all these Ra ra startup! zealots forget to mention is that you need an idea first… Me-too startups will rarely succeed.

What google, flickr, blogger and such have in common is that they all inhabit an obvious-in-hindsight niche and a good idea on how to exploit this niche. What they also have in common is once this niche has become succesful, there is no point in trying to establish yourself in it, as everybody will be using the first service to exploit this niche. Your startup will no dethrone flickr; that needs a Microsoft to do so.

]]> By: giures http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-18 giures Fri, 31 Mar 2006 14:01:12 +0000 http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-18 I guess it's ok to start something in a market where everybody does the same thing if you have another advantage for instance powerfull links (to be a Connector it's certainly very useful). Otherwise it's best to attack a niche and become very strong in something (that you probably like a lot) so it is very hard after that for someone to copy you.. my 2 cents I guess it’s ok to start something in a market where everybody does the same thing if you have another advantage for instance powerfull links (to be a Connector it’s certainly very useful).
Otherwise it’s best to attack a niche and become very strong in something (that you probably like a lot) so it is very hard after that for someone to copy you.. my 2 cents

]]> By: Alex http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-16 Alex Mon, 27 Mar 2006 09:08:07 +0000 http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-16 Radu, thanks for the link. As for Flickr struggling... maybe my English skills are not that good ( ;-) ) but... that's what <i>"Flickr was at break even -- about to tip into the black -- when we were acquired."</i> means for me. :D Radu, thanks for the link.

As for Flickr struggling… maybe my English skills are not that good ( ;-) ) but… that’s what “Flickr was at break even — about to tip into the black — when we were acquired.” means for me. :D

]]> By: radu ionescu http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-15 radu ionescu Mon, 27 Mar 2006 08:06:09 +0000 http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-15 hmm - calacanis' post is must-read too. http://www.calacanis.com/2006/03/26/time-to-start-a-business-or-not/ Truth is somewhere in the middle... BTW, I missed the struggling part of Flickr - only saw "Flickr was at break even -- about to tip into the black -- when we were acquired"... hmm - calacanis’ post is must-read too.
http://www.calacanis.com/2006/03/26/time-to-start-a-business-or-not/

Truth is somewhere in the middle… BTW, I missed the struggling part of Flickr - only saw “Flickr was at break even — about to tip into the black — when we were acquired”…

]]> By: Vladimir http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-14 Vladimir Mon, 27 Mar 2006 08:02:50 +0000 http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-14 I think the main problem here is usefulness... 37 Signals created something valuable... so did Flikr. But most of today 2.0 start-ups are just technological previews (they call it BETA). Creating value to the user is what matters the most. And right now many of them are just creating great user experience (we jave Ajax and Ruby and Flash don't we? ) for nothing. I think the main problem here is usefulness… 37 Signals created something valuable… so did Flikr. But most of today 2.0 start-ups are just technological previews (they call it BETA). Creating value to the user is what matters the most. And right now many of them are just creating great user experience (we jave Ajax and Ruby and Flash don’t we? ) for nothing.

]]> By: Alex http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-13 Alex Mon, 27 Mar 2006 07:54:09 +0000 http://digeratinc.com/2006/03/25/bad-timegood-time/#comment-13 Thanks Vladimir. I wouldn't be completely honest if I didn't also point out the reply from the 37signals guys over at <a rel="nofollow" href="http://37signals.com/svn/archives2/its_a_great_time_to_start_a_business.php">SVN</a>. For those not knowing them, they are one of the few Web2.0 startups doing great (I know, they've been around since the late 90s but still, they set an example for Web2.0 and are among the few who made a successful switch to Web Apps and paid services). Their answer? Not very different from the things Paul Graham says: low costs mean no VC needed, meaning anyone can start a Web2.0 business if he has the passion. <strong>My point exactly</strong>: everyone <strong>WILL </strong>start a Web2.0 business; the chances MY business will be noticed among the other millions? <strong>NULL</strong>. Thanks Vladimir.
I wouldn’t be completely honest if I didn’t also point out the reply from the 37signals guys over at SVN.

For those not knowing them, they are one of the few Web2.0 startups doing great (I know, they’ve been around since the late 90s but still, they set an example for Web2.0 and are among the few who made a successful switch to Web Apps and paid services).

Their answer? Not very different from the things Paul Graham says: low costs mean no VC needed, meaning anyone can start a Web2.0 business if he has the passion.

My point exactly: everyone WILL start a Web2.0 business; the chances MY business will be noticed among the other millions? NULL.

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