I penned an op ed for the Times which runs today. They’ve chose to run it outside of Times Select, so you can get it without paying, but registration is required. From it:
It sure feels like a bubble, doesn’t it? Let’s tick off the signs: a red-hot market for Internet stocks (Google, for example, has more than quadrupled since it went public in 2004); fawning articles celebrating entrepreneurs; a glut of venture capitalists elbowing one another to invest in companies with no plans on how to make money past some hand waving about “advertising” and plenty of vague claims about how their technology will “change the world.”
The Internet is exciting again, and once again folks are rushing in. In some categories – like search or social networking, for example – there are scores of start-ups vying for pretty much the same market, and it’s certain that, just like last time, most of them will fail.
But regardless of all this déjà vu, we are not in a bubble.
Update: In fact, all outside contributors (like me) are not part of Times Select, my editor tells me…
Good piece John…the beginning had me worried…that this was yet another piece about “Bubble 2.0”.
This time the Bubbles in trouble are the ones that have existed for decades, in telecom, in media, in advertising, and so many other industries that have had marketplaces with so many friction points.
I did a lenghtier piece on this here.
http://mp.blogs.com/mp/2005/11/s_19.html
thanks.
Terrific piece John – good perspective for Joe Investor, I think (and of late, that’s more me than I’d care to admit).
You ever think that “grok” only narrowly missed out to “blog” as a term of art by being a tad early?
Great piece, John — thanks for the contribution. By the way, all the opinion pieces are outside the TS wall — only the op-ed columnists are inside.
VC money is flowing out of the valley now according to DowJones VentureWire.
http://explorerdestroyer.com
* NEW REALITY *
quote:
First, this time the Web is ready for the dreams of both its innovators and its public. The first version of the Internet – call it Web 1.0 – was long on vision but short on execution and audience. ….
Before the WEB There was THE INTERNET – the Web is just an incorporated Software
http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?t=121
Even Gopher had its brief moment of glory, and years before – PROJECT XANADU could have been advanced.
However, the concept of the WEB may be replaced by another software technology in the coming decades.
The possible evolution of the computer may bring about multi-dimensional changes.
Imagine NOT just relying on the Human sense of VISION and HEARING – which is what the WEB limits one to (as of 2005/2006).
Reworking the DNA, imagine having the senses of Touch, TASTE and SMELL and even having realistic 3D that is NOT limited to a MONITOR – by pushing Complexed WAVES into the air that one could literally put ones hand through!!!!
What Name Should we choose for this future?
NEW REALITY is the proposal!
interesting link: customizegoogle.com
I wonder how this fits in with explorerdestroyer.com
My eyes used to glaze over whenever I was associated with “Web 2.0”, but regardless, the term has now been inscribed in the paper of record.
Battelle’s piece mentioned that his current business was built on blogging, and as the paper didn’t list it in the byline, it took me several odd minutes to find out what it was.
And then another five minutes or so to find out that the NYTCO is an angel investor in the company.
How convenient. I thought the editors would have disclosed that to spare me the time finding that out myself.
Full disclosure: Yes, The NYT Company is an investor in my company Federated Media. I very much doubt this had anything to do with my having a chance to write this piece, but I agree, it should have been disclosed in the Op Ed somewhere.
It was only a matter of time!!
Singapore scientists looking for ways to transmit the sense of touch over the Internet have devised a vibration jacket for chickens and are thinking about electronic children’s pyjamas for cyberspace hugs.
The next step would be to use the same concept to transmit hugs over the Internet, it said.
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1893504,00.asp
http://www.ntu.edu.sg/corpcomms2/news/ST-28.11.05-4%20A%20HUG%20FOR%20A%20LONELY%20PET%20ACROSS%20THE%20NET.pdf