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Zed Shaw on SF vs NYC

zedshaw.com

11–20 of 98 posts

Re: Zed Shaw on SF vs NYC

#14
But isn't the end result the same? Joining an existing startup as an engineer is NOT financially beneficial. Just do the math:

An average post-series A startup has 10% chance of success and an average acquisition price is around $50M.

Now, when you're joining as an engineer how much do you get in equity? Much less than just 1%, yet you're losing a lot of potential earning power and, most importantly, you're investing 100% of your raw intellectual potential in it (good startups suck it all out of you). So... while at a startup you are: not working on your own projects, not making as much $$$ as you could have, and the payoff is what? 10% chance of making $50K in 3 years?

Re: Zed Shaw on SF vs NYC

#15

Why is this on HN's front page? :(

As with the last post of Zed, it is in the front page because most people here know Zed and are probably interested in what he does. I suggest you to flag the link if you find it inappropriate, it is more effective.

I don't know Zed, and I'm not interested in the minutiae of his life.

Ah, I see from Wikipedia, that he wrote a web server in Ruby. Wow.

Re: Zed Shaw on SF vs NYC

#16

But isn't the end result the same? Joining an existing startup as an engineer is NOT financially beneficial. Just do the math: An average post-series A startup has 10% chance of success and an average acquisition price is around $50M. Now, when you're joining as an engineer how much do you get in equity? Much less than just 1%, yet you're losing a lot of potential earning power and, most importantly, you're investing…

He never said he was looking for an exit, he's looking to immerse himself in the culture.

Re: Zed Shaw on SF vs NYC

#17
post #6

Interesting to see a New Yorker's view of SF, but why do we care? Who is Zed Shaw and why is he important?

I'm reminded about something I read regarding human interaction in general: "It's not who has the most interesting to say that's most popular, it's who's the loudest."

Re: Zed Shaw on SF vs NYC

#19
"NYC constantly stinks like dried vagina in the summer."

i read zed for gems like that. hilarious. but, imho, nyc does have shortcomings when put up against sf, especially in the tech space. i live in manhattan now and although there are a handful of people/groups that do hackernews type stuff they are few and far between. mostly those that do play here are along the lines of the job zed made example of in his post.

Re: Zed Shaw on SF vs NYC

#20

Why is this on HN's front page? :(

You know, I ask the same thing when the more personal stuff I write goes to #1. I can see my more technical and/or inflammatory posts hitting #1, but this is seriously a fairly mundane travel journal.

Anyway, I don't post these (or anything I write) to HN so if this is tops on the front page just chalk it up to a slow news day or a possible trend worth exploring.

Zed

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