Comments on: No more fun in the Valley http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/ Business, Communication, Technology Sat, 22 Nov 2008 11:32:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Jonathan Marks http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-47067 Jonathan Marks Mon, 28 May 2007 09:30:11 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-47067 Interesting to see the business models and products at work here http://www.go2web20.net/ I think many are heading for bust in the near future. Too much overlap and proprietary systems. When so much time is put into tagging stuff in Web 2.0 it is important that if you decide to migrate your photo collection from say, Flickr to Picasa the tags as well as the photos would go with the move. Interesting to see the business models and products at work here

http://www.go2web20.net/

I think many are heading for bust in the near future. Too much overlap and proprietary systems. When so much time is put into tagging stuff in Web 2.0 it is important that if you decide to migrate your photo collection from say, Flickr to Picasa the tags as well as the photos would go with the move.

]]> By: CoRrElate http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-46961 CoRrElate Sun, 27 May 2007 15:28:42 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-46961 <strong>Views on the Bubble...</strong> Recently, Michael Arrington posted Silicon Valley Could Use A Downturn Right About Now causing some interesting and probably healthy conversation. This includes the Valleywag criticism within their coverage The Genie is Out of the Bottle and The Bubbl... Views on the Bubble…

Recently, Michael Arrington posted Silicon Valley Could Use A Downturn Right About Now causing some interesting and probably healthy conversation. This includes the Valleywag criticism within their coverage The Genie is Out of the Bottle and The Bubbl…

]]> By: neville http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-46494 neville Tue, 22 May 2007 23:00:00 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-46494 As someone who's not from Silicon Valley (heck, not even from the US), and who doesn't live or work there either, I suppose it's easy to see a glossy view - well, in this case not glossy - and miss all the nuances and detail such as you, Eric, describe in your own post today. And Ivan I wouldn't disagree with you when you question whether Mike Arrington is a good bellwether. Good or not, he's still a bellwether with signficant influence. Doesn't mean he's necessarily right in this matter, but I don't think anyone will agree on who's right or wrong anytime soon. Jeff, very interesting when you say "the fundamentals are completely different from the first bubble where tens billions of dollars had been invested in hot air." That's exactly what I say to people when the bubble subject crops up in conversation. Yet maybe it's because it all does seem so different to the last bubble. More players in the game, more going on, much higher stakes, things happening bigger and faster. If you think about it, the term 'Silicon Valley' has scaled globally. I think it's a representative phrase, maybe even a metaphor, that means more than just a place on a map. That makes the present picture even more riskier, more connected. More interesting! As someone who’s not from Silicon Valley (heck, not even from the US), and who doesn’t live or work there either, I suppose it’s easy to see a glossy view - well, in this case not glossy - and miss all the nuances and detail such as you, Eric, describe in your own post today.

And Ivan I wouldn’t disagree with you when you question whether Mike Arrington is a good bellwether. Good or not, he’s still a bellwether with signficant influence. Doesn’t mean he’s necessarily right in this matter, but I don’t think anyone will agree on who’s right or wrong anytime soon.

Jeff, very interesting when you say “the fundamentals are completely different from the first bubble where tens billions of dollars had been invested in hot air.” That’s exactly what I say to people when the bubble subject crops up in conversation.

Yet maybe it’s because it all does seem so different to the last bubble. More players in the game, more going on, much higher stakes, things happening bigger and faster.

If you think about it, the term ‘Silicon Valley’ has scaled globally. I think it’s a representative phrase, maybe even a metaphor, that means more than just a place on a map.

That makes the present picture even more riskier, more connected. More interesting!

]]> By: Phil's Blogservations http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-46484 Phil's Blogservations Tue, 22 May 2007 21:24:41 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-46484 <strong>A Skewed Perspective In Silicon Valley...</strong> Neville points me to this post from Michael Arrington, who argues that things are good — maybe too good — in the region I call my "career home": Silicon Valley.... A Skewed Perspective In Silicon Valley…

Neville points me to this post from Michael Arrington, who argues that things are good — maybe too good — in the region I call my “career home”: Silicon Valley….

]]> By: Eric Rice http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-46474 Eric Rice Tue, 22 May 2007 19:28:46 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-46474 Silion Valley is bigger than TechCrunch's coverage market. Our heritage and future will transcend the hype of the moment of slick little feature apps-- and also, let's not confuse the Valley with SF. Fundamentally different cultures.. also, tremendous amounts of massive players are anchored here. Search engines, computer makers, chip makers, etc. THIS might be a third or fourth bubble, I can't keep track, but that's no way an indicator of the region's power (especially considering the cost and quality of life). I dunno, sky falling? Silion Valley is bigger than TechCrunch’s coverage market. Our heritage and future will transcend the hype of the moment of slick little feature apps– and also, let’s not confuse the Valley with SF. Fundamentally different cultures.. also, tremendous amounts of massive players are anchored here. Search engines, computer makers, chip makers, etc.

THIS might be a third or fourth bubble, I can’t keep track, but that’s no way an indicator of the region’s power (especially considering the cost and quality of life).

I dunno, sky falling?

]]> By: Jeff Clavier http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-46457 Jeff Clavier Tue, 22 May 2007 17:21:34 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-46457 It is true that there are a number of startups coming out for funding, etc. and many feel incremental as opposed to offering radical innovation. And it is also true that some companies raise amounts of capital that left some of us wondering. But besides that, the fundamentals are completely different from the first bubble where tens billions of dollars had been invested in hot air. As one of the most active angels in the space (22 deals), I can tell that there are still opportunities out there, but my own threshold has definitely gone higher in the past few months. Time will tell whether this will be a smart move or not. It is true that there are a number of startups coming out for funding, etc. and many feel incremental as opposed to offering radical innovation. And it is also true that some companies raise amounts of capital that left some of us wondering. But besides that, the fundamentals are completely different from the first bubble where tens billions of dollars had been invested in hot air.
As one of the most active angels in the space (22 deals), I can tell that there are still opportunities out there, but my own threshold has definitely gone higher in the past few months. Time will tell whether this will be a smart move or not.

]]> By: Ivan Pope http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-46434 Ivan Pope Tue, 22 May 2007 11:30:35 +0000 http://www.nevillehobson.com/2007/05/22/no-more-fun-in-the-valley/#comment-46434 I don't think Mike is a good bellweather - as he has made himself the point man for everything that happens around 2.0. He's obvously going to get a lot of pressure. As money enters the equation (and isn't that the whole point, let's not kid ourselves), that money will be used to drive the levers of success. And Techcrunch is perceived to be one of those levers. So Mike will see all the pressure and the desperation and the nastyness head on. And as he's not a professional editor or publisher, he's probably not geared up for it. As he says, he started this whole thing in his living room, he's the living embodiment of this bubblette. That said, he also has form for getting upset when the pressure mounts - I remember him going off for a break around Xmas last year. So let's not take him as the oracle. Sure, it was quieter a couple of years ago. But then, Mike and lots of other people didn't have a business a couple of years ago. I don’t think Mike is a good bellweather - as he has made himself the point man for everything that happens around 2.0. He’s obvously going to get a lot of pressure. As money enters the equation (and isn’t that the whole point, let’s not kid ourselves), that money will be used to drive the levers of success. And Techcrunch is perceived to be one of those levers. So Mike will see all the pressure and the desperation and the nastyness head on. And as he’s not a professional editor or publisher, he’s probably not geared up for it. As he says, he started this whole thing in his living room, he’s the living embodiment of this bubblette. That said, he also has form for getting upset when the pressure mounts - I remember him going off for a break around Xmas last year. So let’s not take him as the oracle. Sure, it was quieter a couple of years ago. But then, Mike and lots of other people didn’t have a business a couple of years ago.

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