Comments for Webiphany.com http://www.webiphany.com human potential, travel and entrepreneurship -- by Chris Dawson Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:40:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on To all the entrepreneurs outside of Silicon Valley, NY and Boston by xrd http://www.webiphany.com/2011/10/18/to-all-the-entrepreneurs-outside-of-silicon-valley-ny-and-boston/comment-page-1/#comment-124 xrd Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:40:34 +0000 http://www.webiphany.com/?p=752#comment-124 @David, one more thing to add. A very smart friend of mine (involved with Basho.com) and I talked about this issue, and he said that you cannot have a successful startup with remote workers or even worse outsourced labor. He said startups are in the process of figuring out what they are doing, and I really believe the communication overhead in using remote or outsourced people negates the smaller benefits of reducing labor costs. I think you can hire for small, focused and discrete problems like you described, but this is a stop gap measure and relying on it for anything larger will lead to more pain than gain. @David, one more thing to add. A very smart friend of mine (involved with Basho.com) and I talked about this issue, and he said that you cannot have a successful startup with remote workers or even worse outsourced labor. He said startups are in the process of figuring out what they are doing, and I really believe the communication overhead in using remote or outsourced people negates the smaller benefits of reducing labor costs. I think you can hire for small, focused and discrete problems like you described, but this is a stop gap measure and relying on it for anything larger will lead to more pain than gain.

]]> Comment on To all the entrepreneurs outside of Silicon Valley, NY and Boston by xrd http://www.webiphany.com/2011/10/18/to-all-the-entrepreneurs-outside-of-silicon-valley-ny-and-boston/comment-page-1/#comment-123 xrd Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:33:23 +0000 http://www.webiphany.com/?p=752#comment-123 Yes I agree wholeheartedly and I think that is a huge issue. I do actually think there is more money here in the south, unlike Portland, or perhaps where you are living. That makes it interesting, and maybe potentially bigger opportunities here. The tech talent is sparse however and that is gatewaying a lot of opportunities. Thanks for the comment. Yes I agree wholeheartedly and I think that is a huge issue. I do actually think there is more money here in the south, unlike Portland, or perhaps where you are living. That makes it interesting, and maybe potentially bigger opportunities here. The tech talent is sparse however and that is gatewaying a lot of opportunities. Thanks for the comment.

]]> Comment on To all the entrepreneurs outside of Silicon Valley, NY and Boston by David http://www.webiphany.com/2011/10/18/to-all-the-entrepreneurs-outside-of-silicon-valley-ny-and-boston/comment-page-1/#comment-122 David Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:31:04 +0000 http://www.webiphany.com/?p=752#comment-122 You've made some great points, and despite your defense of "John", I think patience and being able to step back are also critical -- and that he made a big mistake in how he handled that. I disagree that the Valley has a lock on great developers. I've had some great experiences hiring remote contractors, but the caveat was that it was always in back-end, low-level development with clearly defined interfaces. It's never easy (and I completely sympathize, I've also run into severe personality problems which didn't appear till later), and I would never recommend it to a non-technical founder. But for me, the overwhelming main strength of the Bay Area is funding. I'm from that area but I've been living in Europe for a while now (for similar reasons that you have for enjoying Portland -- truly a great city) and I swear you could have "Google II - The Sequel" over here and no one would look at you twice. Funding essentially just doesn't exist here. You’ve made some great points, and despite your defense of “John”, I think patience and being able to step back are also critical — and that he made a big mistake in how he handled that.

I disagree that the Valley has a lock on great developers. I’ve had some great experiences hiring remote contractors, but the caveat was that it was always in back-end, low-level development with clearly defined interfaces. It’s never easy (and I completely sympathize, I’ve also run into severe personality problems which didn’t appear till later), and I would never recommend it to a non-technical founder.

But for me, the overwhelming main strength of the Bay Area is funding. I’m from that area but I’ve been living in Europe for a while now (for similar reasons that you have for enjoying Portland — truly a great city) and I swear you could have “Google II — The Sequel” over here and no one would look at you twice. Funding essentially just doesn’t exist here.

]]> Comment on What a dog can do for your life by Bob Teree http://www.webiphany.com/2011/08/16/what-a-dog-can-do-for-your-life/comment-page-1/#comment-107 Bob Teree Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:06:57 +0000 http://www.webiphany.com/?p=663#comment-107 My gal, colleen, and I brought a dog into our lives about 2 years ago...Best thing we ever did. I only wish I knew how fun and positive it was to have a dog in my life -- he's my first! He is a blood-pressure reducer, poor-man's life-coach, and all round friend. My gal, colleen, and I brought a dog into our lives about 2 years ago…Best thing we ever did. I only wish I knew how fun and positive it was to have a dog in my life — he’s my first! He is a blood-pressure reducer, poor-man’s life-coach, and all round friend.

]]> Comment on What a dog can do for your life by Denise L. Van Rheen http://www.webiphany.com/2011/08/16/what-a-dog-can-do-for-your-life/comment-page-1/#comment-105 Denise L. Van Rheen Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:50:18 +0000 http://www.webiphany.com/?p=663#comment-105 As I read your post, I was reminded of the thoughtful, intelligent, funny, and handsome young boy I had in Kindergarten. You haven't strayed from that path... just have grown into a mature young man with those same characteristics. I've always aid that I learned more from my students than they learned from me! I'm so glad that you found someone who can love you for who you are and who you will become. Best of luck to you both. As I read your post, I was reminded of the thoughtful, intelligent, funny, and handsome young boy I had in Kindergarten. You haven’t strayed from that path… just have grown into a mature young man with those same characteristics. I’ve always aid that I learned more from my students than they learned from me!

I’m so glad that you found someone who can love you for who you are and who you will become. Best of luck to you both.

]]> Comment on Google is not your daddy (or long term reliance on APIs is as bad as outsourcing) by Episode 123: NoSQL | Faceoff Show http://www.webiphany.com/2011/05/27/google-is-not-your-daddy-or-long-term-reliance-on-apis-is-as-bad-as-outsourcing/comment-page-1/#comment-93 Episode 123: NoSQL | Faceoff Show Tue, 31 May 2011 09:06:17 +0000 http://www.webiphany.com/?p=581#comment-93 [...] “Why would anyone ever use your api’s again?” and Google is not your daddy [...] […] “Why would anyone ever use your api’s again?” and Google is not your daddy […]

]]> Comment on Google is not your daddy (or long term reliance on APIs is as bad as outsourcing) by Building Your Business Around Google or Any Other APIs | API Evangelist http://www.webiphany.com/2011/05/27/google-is-not-your-daddy-or-long-term-reliance-on-apis-is-as-bad-as-outsourcing/comment-page-1/#comment-92 Building Your Business Around Google or Any Other APIs | API Evangelist Sat, 28 May 2011 18:03:20 +0000 http://www.webiphany.com/?p=581#comment-92 [...] GOOGLE IS NOT YOUR DADDY (OR LONG TERM RELIANCE ON APIS IS AS BAD AS OUTSOURCING) [...] […] GOOGLE IS NOT YOUR DADDY (OR LONG TERM RELIANCE ON APIS IS AS BAD AS OUTSOURCING) […]

]]> Comment on Google is not your daddy (or long term reliance on APIs is as bad as outsourcing) by On Elpeleg http://www.webiphany.com/2011/05/27/google-is-not-your-daddy-or-long-term-reliance-on-apis-is-as-bad-as-outsourcing/comment-page-1/#comment-91 On Elpeleg Sat, 28 May 2011 10:15:26 +0000 http://www.webiphany.com/?p=581#comment-91 Just because it needs to generate values, it does not mean it has to take bad decisions! Google can and should make its Translate API semi commercial instead of closing it down. See more about this issue and support the cause here: bit.ly/lGvR8o Just because it needs to generate values, it does not mean it has to take bad decisions!

Google can and should make its Translate API semi commercial instead of closing it down.

See more about this issue and support the cause here: bit.ly/lGvR8o

]]> Comment on eBooks are only licensed? Well, at least they are not living rent free in my house. by Dale http://www.webiphany.com/2011/05/20/ebooks-are-only-licensed-well-at-least-they-are-not-living-rent-free-in-my-house/comment-page-1/#comment-86 Dale Sun, 22 May 2011 03:41:16 +0000 http://www.webiphany.com/?p=575#comment-86 Speaking of Tim O'Reilly, I'd love to see a more general ebook service designed like O'Reilly's Safari (not the browser). They have a library and for a fee, you can have a certain number of books checked out at a time. It's not unlike Netflix, now that I think about it. One of the things I've discovered as a happy Netflix customer is that if I want to see a money again, I can request it again. I don't need a pile of DVDs cluttering up my life. I'm keeping some favorites around. Speaking of Tim O’Reilly, I’d love to see a more general ebook service designed like O’Reilly’s Safari (not the browser). They have a library and for a fee, you can have a certain number of books checked out at a time.

It’s not unlike Netflix, now that I think about it. One of the things I’ve discovered as a happy Netflix customer is that if I want to see a money again, I can request it again. I don’t need a pile of DVDs cluttering up my life. I’m keeping some favorites around.

]]> Comment on eBooks are only licensed? Well, at least they are not living rent free in my house. by Michael http://www.webiphany.com/2011/05/20/ebooks-are-only-licensed-well-at-least-they-are-not-living-rent-free-in-my-house/comment-page-1/#comment-84 Michael Sat, 21 May 2011 07:26:23 +0000 http://www.webiphany.com/?p=575#comment-84 Welcome to Georgia. Just buy kindle books. I cut up 3 bookshelves last week after getting rid of their contents. Welcome to Georgia.

Just buy kindle books. I cut up 3 bookshelves last week after getting rid of their contents.

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