Do you have a friend inside Google? • Hacker News Board

Re: Do you have a friend inside Google?

#11

Post by SwellJoe » Mon, Aug 13, 2007, 9:05 PM UTC

mikesabat wrote: post #8

You are already competing with Google, or better yet, the expectations they have created. Because of their immense ad revenue they can afford to buy companies and apps and then give them away for free. Although your product may be different you're already competing for people's time and attention online. If you're building something to give away for free - then you are opening up the possibility of being Google-ized…

You're also competing with others who might be acquired by Google who do the same thing you're doing (only you're competing to be the one acquired by Google, or a Google competitor).

Re: Do you have a friend inside Google?

#12

Post by SwellJoe » Mon, Aug 13, 2007, 9:06 PM UTC

The Zenter guys knew Google had a presentation product in development from before they started. Turned out alright for them.

Re: Do you have a friend inside Google?

#13

Post by akkartik » Thu, Aug 23, 2007, 6:22 AM UTC

SwellJoe wrote: post #10

akkartik wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google has a huge case of NIH syndrome: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_Invented_Here

Except for YouTube, DoubleClick, Zenter, Deja, Blogger, JotSpot, Picasa, Keyhole, Phatbits, Urchin, Writely, hmm...OK, so you're either wrong or we disagree on the meaning of "Google has a huge case of NIH syndrome".

..or you're wrong. Just to cover all the options.

We know they assembled their own hardware from day 1. We know they manage their own backend and platform. They have their own version control. They designed their own buildings at various places. They are even planning to spend 2 years building their own HR tool (but you didn't hear it from me).

Given that they have to compete in a marketplace, they can't be overly irrational. But you can bet they will try to duplicate something they care about before they consider acquiring a startup. More so than Yahoo or Amazon or even Microsoft.