Disqus - Latest Comments for Galen Ward

Re: A Brief Personal Announcement

Galen Ward — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:51:01 -0000

Look forward to seeing what you do next.

Good luck!

Re: Real Estate Porn: Title Insurance Edition

Galen Ward — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:19:47 -0000

That is amazing. Wow. I can safely say that is the most blatant commercial I have ever seen.

Do people actually buy having seen this? If so, who are these fools?

Re: How Fred Wilson Destroyed My Startup

Galen Ward — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:37:48 -0000

Hahahahaha! I really liked that widget and spent 10 minutes searching for it last weekend. Did I miss where I can get your widget?

Re: How Fred Wilson Destroyed My Startup

Galen Ward — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:56:52 -0000

Ah - couldn't see it on the iPhone.

Re: Why Isn’t there a Google Version of MobileMe for the iPhone?

Galen Ward — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:28:12 -0000

I really wanted over the air syncing with Google Calendar too - and it exists. It's Nueva Sync. It's super nice and will do mail and contacts if you want it to. Calendar was the killer app for this - mail already syncs with imap and my gmail contacts list is a mess that I don't want cluttering up my phone.

https://www.nuevasync.com/

Re: It’s an Anonymous, Automated, Transparent, Customizable Wholesale Mortgage Program and Interest Rate Pricing Pre-Qualification Search Engine, Dummy!

Galen Ward — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:50:09 -0000

Holy crap! It looks great. I'm with Trace - no flash intro. I look forward to seeing the rest.

Re: Estately Comes to Portland

Galen Ward — Fri, 30 May 2008 17:36:49 -0000

Jonathan, we are very disappointed by our inability to show addresses for RMLS properties. I do believe it stifles competition and limits our ability to serve consumers. We are working with RMLS board members to change this situation. Good call.

Re: Roost Redesign Search Results

Galen Ward — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:56:12 -0000

Joel, Google-style results are tricky - Google has one sorting methodology and one set of criteria. There is a reason that people don't use Google for searching for products (think headphones - Google will take you to a site that will help you narrow your selection). Estately (and Roost and the others) is trying to quickly and easilyhelp people search for homes with the criteria they want, but not clutter the interface with the stuff they don't want.

Fortunately for us, consumers aren't all beds and price shoppers.

Re: Schedule a Free Wake Up Call or Telephone Reminder from Your Computer

Galen Ward — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:36:13 -0000

PhoneMyPhone.com does the same thing - and you can use it to get out of awkward conversations.

Re: Google Search Insights is Online Marketing Tool

Galen Ward — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:20:06 -0000

Great write up Joe!

Re: Real Estate Porn: Title Insurance Edition

Galen Ward — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:19:47 -0000

That is amazing. Wow. I can safely say that is the most blatant commercial I have ever seen.

Do people actually buy having seen this? If so, who are these fools?

Re: Redfin Adds Neighborhood $/Sq. Ft. and Inventory #’s

Galen Ward — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:40:03 -0000

Colin, please email me with suggestions for Estately's property information pages - galen at Estately.com - we'd love to make our property information pages better for you.

Re: Redfin Adds Neighborhood $/Sq. Ft. and Inventory #’s

Galen Ward — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:08:12 -0000

Just trying to get feedback half as well as you do Matt!

Re: Rent a Ballard house for $900 a month?

Galen Ward — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:50:47 -0000

Shrewzard - it is a scam! But the address really exists and the photos are probably correct - it's a house that is listed for sale in the MLS.

Re: Nestoria turns one year old!

Galen Ward — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 20:43:55 -0000

Congratulations guys! You are cranking out the features at an amazing rate!

Re: Thoughts on Paul Graham's essay on the coming VC-startup clash

Galen Ward — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:18:00 -0000

In talking to some VC friends over the last few weeks, it sounds like VCs are going to thrive in this market by going back to what they do best; making bets on existing companies that are already scaling.

VCs with cash are in a prime position to get in on profitable and nearly profitable companies that are growing rapidly and they can do so at bargain basement prices because all the other outlets for funding have dried up.

Thanks for the mention by the way. We know we (Estately) have a long way to go before we're Trulia or Zillow sized, but we are certainly glad we have been running lean all along.

Re: Microsoft blames clock bug for Zune glitches, promises magic fix

Galen Ward — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 08:51:00 -0000

The Naked Loon live cam was brilliant. The dozens, nay hundreds of Zune users out there must have been transfixed.

Re: EMC buys SourceLabs, operator of open source site Swik.net

Galen Ward — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 10:14:00 -0000

A VC backed exit just two days into 2009? Amazing!

Re: Forbes: Seattle ranks as the most wired city in America

Galen Ward — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:25:00 -0000

Too bad DSL maxes out at 1.5 MBPS at my house and cable won't above 7.

You have to move to the suburbs for "real" internet.

Re: Hot or Not: What's the current climate for angel financing?

Galen Ward — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 06:33:00 -0000

There are always exceptions to the rule, but from the entrepreneurs I've spoken to, the rule right now is no money in new ventures and very low valuations when money is invested.

Re: Imagining a penny-a-click Web -- with Google smack in the middle

Galen Ward — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 09:51:00 -0000

Mr. Andrews proposes a utopia, but does not propose the first step in getting to it. Will we just turn on our computer one day and start paying? Certain sites will sign up and, in order to use them, we'll then have to sign up for Google merchant accounts?

Have you ever run a site where you make people fill out a form, let alone a form with their billing information, before they can get content? It is a nasty-tough business.

Dead on arrival, dude.

Re: How to tout an iPhone app: Enlist a pre-schooler in pink pants

Galen Ward — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 09:35:00 -0000

Reminds me of PopShops' video: http://popshops.com/faq/168

Re: The Stranger unveils iPhone happy hour app, a rival to GoTime

Galen Ward — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:13:00 -0000

Brilliant!

Re: Ten lessons in bootstrapping from the founders of Urbanspoon

Galen Ward — Thu, 14 May 2009 09:29:00 -0000

Fantastic advice - one of the best summaries of bootstrapping I have read.

Re: Ten lessons in bootstrapping from the founders of Urbanspoon

Galen Ward — Thu, 14 May 2009 09:29:00 -0000

Fantastic advice - one of the best summaries of bootstrapping I have read.

Re: With new VC deal just around the corner, TeachStreet cuts staff

Galen Ward — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:22:00 -0000

It's sad to see the old faces go, but it was probably the right choice - TeachStreet has a market, but it needs time to build it out.

@pj - where did you get 120k from?

Re: Will Google Wave crash on Gist?

Galen Ward — Fri, 29 May 2009 06:32:00 -0000

As a beta tester of Gist and an internet educated reader of Google Wave, they look pretty different to me. Gist is focused - it's going to solve specific problems for professionals. Wave looks like more of a collaboration / sharing platform than a "keep me abreast of what is happening with TA McCann and these other 50 important people."

Re: Is the economy recovering?

Galen Ward — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:09:00 -0000

I'm with John DeRosa on this one - deceleration is not the same as acceleration. If the economy (and housing market) were a car, it would be going in reverse at 15 miles per hour instead of 40 - still in reverse, just not as fast.

Re: Congressman's Tweet leads to comic gold mine for startup

Galen Ward — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 05:55:00 -0000

Hater and Agree with Hater, this is comic brilliance. If you don't get the joke, it isn't for you, but that doesn't mean it won't be very successful.

Way to pick up on a meme and quickly launch a product Ben!

Re: 'Leaving on a jet plane' with a new ad for Bing Travel

Galen Ward — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:40:00 -0000

Just saw it last night - it's a great ad.

Re: New Google is the old Microsoft

Galen Ward — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:14:00 -0000

meks - if Google were really like the old Microsoft, I wouldn't have written this for fear of repercussions.

Google *does* intend to do right - they are not vindictive.

I like Google - I'm in fact quite pissed that I can't use Google Voice on my iphone. I just think they are being dishonest with their users and themselves when they pull some of this crap.

Re: New Google is the old Microsoft

Galen Ward — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:14:00 -0000

Re: New Google is the old Microsoft

Galen Ward — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 09:56:00 -0000

Oops - #16 anonymous is by me. Forgot to fill in the name!

Re: New Google is the old Microsoft

Galen Ward — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 09:56:00 -0000

Oops - #16 anonymous is by me. Forgot to fill in the name!

Re: New Google is the old Microsoft

Galen Ward — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 06:54:00 -0000

Steve C, I hope that someday someone writes a book about how Microsoft could have snuffed Google. Default search engine is part of it - and they tried that - but they could have gone a lot farther. At the very least, search could have been integrated into every facet of the OS and web searches could have been integrated with every search. They could have deployed a toolbar for every IE install - with a search box.

Whether it's due to incompetence or fear of DOJ, Microsoft could have easily killed Google. I'm chalking it up to 3 parts DOJ, one part incompetence, you can pick your own ratio.

Re: New Google is the old Microsoft

Galen Ward — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 06:54:00 -0000

Re: New Google is the old Microsoft

Galen Ward — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:50:00 -0000

Joe, I've talked to Microsofties - they think they could have - and I too think they could have. They could have baked search into every single facet of Windows (not the crap they've done with Vista) - and made the search option unchangeable or even harder than it is now. Maybe they couldn't have done it - but they could have *tried* if they didn't have the DOJ settlement hovering over every move.

I'm sure there are counter examples - and maybe that isn't credible to you. This is the sort of conversation that works a lot better offline.

Re: New Google is the old Microsoft

Galen Ward — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:50:00 -0000

Re: New Google is the old Microsoft

Galen Ward — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:20:00 -0000

Tommy.S, there is a common misconception that a monopoly has absolutely no competitors. My understanding of economic theory - limited to 4 classes in undergrad - is that monopolies often have competitors with dinky market share. So I'm calling bunk on that one.

Re: New Google is the old Microsoft

Galen Ward — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:20:00 -0000

Re: New Google is the old Microsoft

Galen Ward — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:23:00 -0000

teleticklah - Two awesomely off-the-mark points:

#1 We're growing at a really fast clip and Estately.com works waaaay better than Google real estate search - I'm not pissed because we can't compete. Even on an uneven playing field.

#2 "No other company provides such outstanding service free of cost. As a user I care less about monopoly if it means I am continuously getting better products which i don't even have to pay for."

I believe Microsoft bundled and included Internet Explorer - for free - thusly thwarting Netscapes pricing strategy. There is a landmark monopoly case with respect to that free software.

Re: New Google is the old Microsoft

Galen Ward — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:23:00 -0000

Re: Why a successful Mac software company left Seattle for Bay Area

Galen Ward — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 05:09:00 -0000

Zoka was 75+% Macs last time I walked in there - and so is every other coffee shop in Seattle. I suppose some of those Mac owners know people at Microsoft?

Re: Why a successful Mac software company left Seattle for Bay Area

Galen Ward — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 05:09:00 -0000

Zoka was 75+% Macs last time I walked in there - and so is every other coffee shop in Seattle. I suppose some of those Mac owners know people at Microsoft?

Re: The Seattle Times partners with neighborhood news blogs

Galen Ward — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:54:00 -0000

This is something I've been looking forward to for a long time.

The Times should have a page of neighborhood news - selected by editors and printed in the paper.

Very smart and forward thinking!

Re: The Seattle Times partners with neighborhood news blogs

Galen Ward — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:54:00 -0000

This is something I've been looking forward to for a long time.

The Times should have a page of neighborhood news - selected by editors and printed in the paper.

Very smart and forward thinking!

Re: The fastest way to save yourself a few million dollars.

Galen Ward — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 12:37:52 -0000

Damon, glad we can serve as an example! Sometimes we think that having a couple more than 2 people might be nice, but I guess we're doing pretty well with 2.

PS: We didn't get a dot com on that link!

Re: The fastest way to save yourself a few million dollars.

Galen Ward — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:12:59 -0000

Michael, I agree that most successful companies need more than 2 people and that it usually requires capital, but there are a lot of internet companies that get so excited "building a business" that they actually neglect their business, which is building a compelling website.

I think there is a happy medium between the 37 Signals no-vcs-ever mantra and the business-dude-writes-up-a-huge-business-plan-and-gets-it-funded-before-he-even-starts mantra. This is not the late 90s; trying an internet-based business model is exceedingly cheap!

Re: The fastest way to save yourself a few million dollars.

Galen Ward — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 19:36:39 -0000

A side note and not to provoke argument so much as to express myself. Truemors is awful. If it were launched by anyone with less popular blowhard status, it would be so empty that no one would even notice it enough to make fun of it.

First, to say it only cost $12,000 is silly; I would pay Guy Kawasaki $50,000 for half of the publicity he has given it and I'd be getting an incredible deal. So yes, it's easy for popular internet dudes to start copycat sites and direct people to them. Second, a $12k personal glamor site is not a business, it's something a popular internet dude can use to get more speaking engagements.

Paul Graham is my cheap startup hero. He's one of the only people online who writes intelligent, well thought out articles. (I do not count myself in that group).
http://www.paulgraham.com/articles.html

Re: Q&A With Seth Siegler about the Redesign of his ShopCharlestonRealEstate.com Web Site

Galen Ward — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 20:40:15 -0000

"Basically I found that people do not want to talk to a Realtor until it’s time to see a house in person."

Fantastic. That's something that far too many search sites ignore.