Could Atlanta Buy A Silicon Valley? • Hacker News Board

Re: Could Atlanta Buy A Silicon Valley?

#71

Post by jhancock » Mon, Mar 02, 2009, 12:07 AM UTC

lacker wrote: post #21

jhancock wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I lived in Atlanta for 10 years (went to school at Georgia Tech). I moved there when the population just hit 2MM; now its 5.5MM!!...back in the day when you would expect it to be _more_ racist. I am now married to a Chinese lady. I've lived in Shanghai the last 9 years. I wouldn't worry at all abut moving my wife and 4-year-old "hybrid" son to Atlanta. Neither would I worry about moving them to my very small home tow…

It makes sense that someone who has lived in Georgia wouldn't mind moving back there. What about the Chinese people you have met in Shanghai? Would they move to Atlanta? Those are the people that must be convinced in order to make Atlanta into the next Silicon Valley.

I don't think shanghai folk would be happy anywhere but shanghai ;).

I do not feel that Atlanta has all the requirements of a Silicon Valley. Atlanta does lack diversity on that level. But as for racism and for the ability for someone to be an entrepreneur? I think its ok if your the type to go out and find the people that you fit in with. I started my first company in Atlanta during college and did well. I'm not moving back to Atlanta because its too big for me; as are Shanghai and Silicon Valley. I've decided I like small towns: fresh air, less than 5 minute commute to anywhere in town, etc...

If you are a small internet company, self funded, and don't expect to ever be able to get VC, small towns may have the stability and peace required to go the distance. But thats all off topic ;). fyi, I'm in Tepoztlan, Mexico at the moment, arrived 3 days ago. I needed a few months out of Shanghai after all those years. So I'm sitting in a quite garden next the mountain and getting more quality work done than I have in quite some time...peace ;)

Re: Could Atlanta Buy A Silicon Valley?

#72

Post by rjurney » Mon, Mar 02, 2009, 5:00 AM UTC

chaostheory wrote: post #64

Having lived in the ATL for about 8 years and the Bay Area for 5, I'd have to strongly disagree with one of the article's points: "1) Do you have good weather?" Atlanta does not have good weather. It is either really cold or really hot. It is nothing like the Bay Area's year round temperate weather. During the fall and winter, Atlanta is typically gloomy and overcast almost every day. It's cold enough to ice too... I…

Its relative. The continental US has huge variance in weather and Atlanta's weather is comparatively mild to most places. Our winter lows are between 10-20F, and not on very many days. It snows only once every year or two. Few people wouldn't move to Atlanta because of the weather. Now compare that to... Montana, or Maine. Or Seattle, for that matter. We have lots of New York transplants in Atlanta, and they love our weather :)

A bit off topic but... at least in Florida you can beat the heat in the ocean :)

P.S. It rained a foot, then snowed a foot at my house in Georgia the last 2 days.

Re: Could Atlanta Buy A Silicon Valley?

#73

Post by omnivore » Mon, Mar 02, 2009, 5:03 PM UTC

tptacek wrote: post #69

omnivore wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think public transportation in the NYC area makes the "sprawl" into Jersey, Connecticut or even parts of PA not so bad. Hailing from that region, but living now in the western outskirts of Chicagoland, I can attest to the very strange difference of the sprawl here versus what I'd term as "cohesive" outgrowth in NYC.

If you're out by Plainfield or (god help you) Dekalb, you're dealing with the impact of the mortgage bubble over the last 10 years, which has totally over-developed the former farmland that surrounded Chicago. Much of the Chicago suburbs have public transportion access that rivals the NYC suburbs.

You nailed it. I'm about 5 miles from Plainfield.

Re: Could Atlanta Buy A Silicon Valley?

#74

Post by tptacek » Tue, Mar 03, 2009, 3:54 AM UTC

omnivore wrote: post #73

tptacek wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're out by Plainfield or (god help you) Dekalb, you're dealing with the impact of the mortgage bubble over the last 10 years, which has totally over-developed the former farmland that surrounded Chicago. Much of the Chicago suburbs have public transportion access that rivals the NYC suburbs.

You nailed it. I'm about 5 miles from Plainfield.

Move to Evanston or Logan Square.

Re: Could Atlanta Buy A Silicon Valley?

#75

Post by patrickg-zill » Tue, Mar 03, 2009, 11:08 PM UTC

Zev wrote: post #22

patrickg-zill wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you speaking from experience, or your own prejudice? How about this - many Asians settle in CA because it means they are only a plane trip away from relatives in Asia. As an example: JFK to Manila means a travel time of 24 hours due to 1 or 2 stops; LAX or SFO to Manila if going direct is 12 hours. Nothing to do whatsoever with "racism and intolerance".

Its only 6-8 hours from JFK to LAX. Wheres the extra 4-6 hours come from?

There are stop overs and other accumulated delays. In some cases (depending on the route you end up with) there are additional security checkpoints.

For instance, JFK to Nagoya (Japan) to Manila means arriving early at JFK, going through security, then flying to Nagoya, where you again have to go through security and then wait 2-3 hours, then on to Manila. Remember, delays accumulate.