Brian Sullivan
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3 months ago
in When all else fails, declare victory on Mathew's comments
A guy I once worked with claimed that the best way to have a huge success was to declare loud and clear for all to hear the success and never waver(regardless of whether there was success or not). He was in sales/business development and extremely good at it.
This works often not only in business in all sorts of fields (look at Rove's tactics in the U.S.).
Looks like the RIAA is just a follower of that philosophy.
This works often not only in business in all sorts of fields (look at Rove's tactics in the U.S.).
Looks like the RIAA is just a follower of that philosophy.
1 reply
3 months ago
in Disqus and Seesmic Pair Up For Video Comments on A VC
So you are arguing that video can be useful on the web? Isn't that a bit of a strawman? I don't think anybody here (or anywhere) that I have seen has said that video is not useful. But there are many situations where video is decidely a waste of bandwidth, mindwidth and time. I am pretty sure the list of these is much longer than your list.
Off the cuff created, unscripted, unedited talking head video is absolutely the most wasteful form of video usage in my opinion. I am guessing that a very large percentage of video comments will be just such video.
Off the cuff created, unscripted, unedited talking head video is absolutely the most wasteful form of video usage in my opinion. I am guessing that a very large percentage of video comments will be just such video.
1 reply
Paul Bradshaw
Seesmic video reply from Disqus.
4 months ago
in Dual-class stock = enlightened dictatorship on Mathew's comments
Is the "Don't go Public" option really an option? I think in the US anyway once you get to a certain number of individuals holding shares -- like when you give key employees shares you end up having to report as a public company with none of the benefits.
If I recall this drove Google (and maybe Yahoo) public (or was a significant factor in the decision).
I am not totally sure I understand this dual class share option as it relates to public companies anyway. Doesn't fiduciary duty still apply?
If I recall this drove Google (and maybe Yahoo) public (or was a significant factor in the decision).
I am not totally sure I understand this dual class share option as it relates to public companies anyway. Doesn't fiduciary duty still apply?
1 reply
mathewi
Brian, you are right about the public reporting aspect, in which as
you get larger you eventually have to start filing public financial
statements -- although of course that assumes you have issued shares
to lots of people, which isn't always necessary either. And that was
part of the impetus for Google to do an IPO, although the desire of
their backers to get some liquidity was also a factor.
As for fiduciary duty, I'm not a lawyer so I don't know the exact
details -- but I assume that having voting control simply makes it
easier to do certain things, and then it's up to the non-voting or
restricted shareholders to make a case for why it might be harmful to
them (in the same way that eBay is arguing in its case against
Craigslist).
you get larger you eventually have to start filing public financial
statements -- although of course that assumes you have issued shares
to lots of people, which isn't always necessary either. And that was
part of the impetus for Google to do an IPO, although the desire of
their backers to get some liquidity was also a factor.
As for fiduciary duty, I'm not a lawyer so I don't know the exact
details -- but I assume that having voting control simply makes it
easier to do certain things, and then it's up to the non-voting or
restricted shareholders to make a case for why it might be harmful to
them (in the same way that eBay is arguing in its case against
Craigslist).
6 months ago
in Seesmic: Still don’t really get it on Mathew's comments
I feel the same way -- I just don't get video blogging in general. I loved the Owen Thomas/Vallyewag quote:
""Video is one of the most inefficient means of communication, suited only for self-important types who overvalue their own thoughts and undervalue the time of those they speak to.""
I have much the some reaction to most audio podcasting. There may be good stuff out there but I just don't have the time or energy to weed through all the crap. If there were better tools to sort it out I might consider spending so time listening (at least audio doesn't require your undivided attention for the whole length of the piece).
""Video is one of the most inefficient means of communication, suited only for self-important types who overvalue their own thoughts and undervalue the time of those they speak to.""
I have much the some reaction to most audio podcasting. There may be good stuff out there but I just don't have the time or energy to weed through all the crap. If there were better tools to sort it out I might consider spending so time listening (at least audio doesn't require your undivided attention for the whole length of the piece).
1 reply
mathewi
That is a great line, Brian -- I feel pretty much the same way.
On Thu, Feb 14, 2008 at 10:04 AM, Disqus
On Thu, Feb 14, 2008 at 10:04 AM, Disqus
often believe that repeating it can make it true. I'm not sure it's
such a great strategy in this case, however, although I suppose it
allows the RIAA to save some face.