DISQUS

Hold on a sec. First of all, some of us really like streaming music--particularly when it integrates really well with your home audio system, like Sonos does. I have a napster subscription which works with my Sonos at home and my PC at work. It's great.

Secondly. 1.5 M people paying $13/mon is $234 M/yr. How many web businesses are pulling in that much cash? Seems like it must take a lot to get you excited.

Ummm... yes it's ironic. But, that doesn't mean it's not true.

Like they say--just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you.

Matthew- Those things may sound like technicalities, but they really are affecting people's behavior, and having a corresponding affect on Viacom's audience and revenues. My 7 year old is now watching his Saturday morning cartoons on YouTube (actually on TV--thru my media center pc) without commercials or any return at all to the companies who created those shows. But, Google serves ads next to them...

While I hate being on the side of Viacom, I can understand why it would be pissed off that someone else is monitizing their creative work.

I have to admit, I am simply dumbfounded at Mike Arrington's (and Tony Hung's) arguements. Basically--we should not be held to any level of accountability for what we write. We're different because we're writing about our friends. How is this different from Montel Williams taking money to shill for the government? (answer: it's not) At the end of the day, I hope Mike is getting a lot of $$ for representing these web 2 companies, because he's sliding down the long, slippery slope of lost credibility.

The question is not whether Mr. Pell knows anything about search--but, whether he knows anything about Marketing. There are established players in this space who are all household names. It's going to take a lot more than better technology to suceed, here.

It's NOT? a great time to be JotSpot, NumSum or iRows? Well--it probably IS a great time to be one of them, as Yahoo doesn't have an online spreadsheet yet.