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Google Launches Cloud Platform for Startups

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Re: Google Launches Cloud Platform for Startups

#151

Post by Kurtz79 »

patio11 wrote: post #26
idlewords wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really enjoy the dissonance between startup mythology (bold innovators who play by nobody's rules) and the very conservative reality, as expressed in eligibility criteria like this. Think different, in one of the approved ways. Why this part of our industry is exempt from disruption, while everything else is fair game, is a source of constant wonder to me.

I feel obligated to point out that Microsoft Bizspark will give you free software/services for 3 years and it is "one guy working from his kitchen table"-friendly. If you're building things, they will give you stuff. Bonus: You can help support underdog upstarts like Microsoft against uncaring tech titans like Google.

Also,I just found this, by looking at an old HN thread about BizSpark:

http://aws.amazon.com/activate/

Re: Google Launches Cloud Platform for Startups

#152

Post by pbjorkmarker »

Kequc wrote: post #78
ryandvm wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think with Apple and Google's competition, we're well past the point of caring about Microsoft's shrinking desktop monopoly.

I think the point being made was that the technology everything is built on, is nix. Except Microsoft technologies. If you build something for nix it can be easily ported or inserted into Android apps, OS X apps, iOS apps, linux distributions, hosted anywhere, etc. But not easily ported or inserted into Windows or Windows server. The same is true in reverse. You start using Microsoft technologies you are trapped ther…

Migth sound good in theory but in reality not so much. Porting an app from iOS to Android. Rewrite. Using the google cloud apis and moving to amazon or azure. Rewrite. All vendors want platform lock in. The underlying tech is really fairly irrelevant.

Re: Google Launches Cloud Platform for Startups

#154

Post by MCRed »

jdoliner wrote: post #97
idlewords wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't dispute anything you say. But the fact that they can make this an eligibility criterion speaks to the conformism in startup culture, and the gatekeeping role of a very small establishment.

The fact that they can make this an eligibility criterion speaks to the fact that they're giving you something you'd otherwise pay $100,000 for. If this deal is somehow keeping startups outside the gate then said startups must really have been screwed 3 hours ago when this deal didn't even exist.

Nope. I would never pay $100k to Google as a startup, because there are more efficient ways to deploy that money.

I would, however, consider taking $100k in free hosting from google as a startup because making it free eliminates the cost consideration in hosting choices.

It's not keeping us out of the gate, it just that it reinforces the redefinition of startup to be "Silicon Valley VC type".

EG: 37 Signals would never have qualified, but they were a startup.

Re: Google Launches Cloud Platform for Startups

#155

Post by MCRed »

wj wrote: post #133
pender wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most startups need all the help they can get. Google has decided to provide help only to those who have sold their souls away. Seems rather evil to me.

Going through an accelerator mean you've "sold your soul"? That is a bit of a jump.

In a way it is. Accelerators have become two things: Pitch training camps and old-boys networks. The focus seems to be all about polishing a pitch, and faking stats for whatever part of your business needs to be faked to show traction of some kind, so that you can pitch to the old-boy network on demo day, get some money and go to work for the accelerators backers partners.

Startups long ago stopped being about building innovative business, and about VCs employing a bunch of kids to work really long hours on bad terms to make the VCs rich.

I think it is a legitimate criticism-- not ad hominem-- to say the Bay Area model has produced a bunch of soulless startups. Though of course some do follow this path and still retain their souls.

Re: Google Launches Cloud Platform for Startups

#156

Post by rch »

jiggy2011 wrote: post #134
jdoliner wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The fact that they can make this an eligibility criterion speaks to the fact that they're giving you something you'd otherwise pay $100,000 for. If this deal is somehow keeping startups outside the gate then said startups must really have been screwed 3 hours ago when this deal didn't even exist.

This deal makes things worse for non accelerated/VC'd startups because now they're competing with companies who not only have funding but also have $100K in free hosting.

It could also improve the value proposition for lower tier accelerators that might have a mentor network but lack the resources to support the infrastructure requirements of the most promising participants. If implemented properly, it should improve the visibility of regional players.

Re: Google Launches Cloud Platform for Startups

#157

Post by brudgers »

skj wrote: post #57
jedc wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Points 2-4 would involve Google violating (likely) their own Ts&Cs with customers and (possibly?) state/federal law. But I think your Point 1 is highly likely. How many startups are going to build on Google's Cloud Platform, then after a year port everything to AWS, particularly if Google can prove that they're cheaper or at least cost-competitive with similar feature set. (Assuming that's true, of course, and that y…

Just to reinforce this... (I am a Google Cloud Platform engineer) Google's internal data, which is mined (and audited), and the Cloud datacenters/data, are hosted entirely separately (though that's as much to protect us from you as you from us). We do not do anything with data stored by cloud platform customers.

What exactly prohibits the company for which you work from doing this, e.g. can you reference specific state or Federal laws or agency rules which prohibit this, or on the civil side, specific terms and conditions of the company's standard service contract?

Absent these, what is the business case for providing this service at no cost to the qualified companies?

As I indicated, I don't see a first order monetization strategy and the second order strategies I have proposed seem consistent with the second order strategies general employed by the company.

Re: Google Launches Cloud Platform for Startups

#158

Post by fixedd »

vgt wrote: post #121

For all of you worried that this is for VC-backed startups only, Google offers $500 coupon codes (which should be plenty to bootstrap a concept). Feel free to ping me. In addition, both AppEngine and BigQuery have free usage tiers.

Can I get $500 worth of Adwords? :)

Re: Google Launches Cloud Platform for Startups

#159

Post by brudgers »

jedc wrote: post #29
brudgers wrote: post #23

Asking myself how this makes business sense. Answering myself that it only does if Google hits a homerun based on: + Vendor/plat-form lock-in. + Data mining startups' traffic. + Access to startups' code and data. + Ability to pull the plug. For Vendor/Platform lock-in this could be virtual, ie the burden of switching the code base for administrative tasks to Amazon or Azure or some other provider could be prohibitive…

Points 2-4 would involve Google violating (likely) their own Ts&Cs with customers and (possibly?) state/federal law. But I think your Point 1 is highly likely. How many startups are going to build on Google's Cloud Platform, then after a year port everything to AWS, particularly if Google can prove that they're cheaper or at least cost-competitive with similar feature set. (Assuming that's true, of course, and that y…

Which of the terms and services do you think it would violate?

From the general terms and services:

   The rights you grant in this license are for the limited
   purpose of operating, promoting, and improving our
   Services, and to develop new ones. [1]
"To develop new [services]" covers a Google pretty well if it chooses to do any of the activities I mentioned.

In addition, the cloud services have this extension:

   Google may change these terms from time to time and post
   any modified terms at http://developers.google.com/site-
   terms. You understand and agree that if you use the 
   Service after the date on which these terms have 
   changed, Google will treat your use as acceptance of the 
   updated terms. [2]
It is not just that these terms are not subject to negotiation. It is that they place almost no limitation on Google's business practices.

[1] http://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/

[2] https://developers.google.com/site-terms

Re: Google Launches Cloud Platform for Startups

#160

Post by MichaelGG »

patio11 wrote: post #26
idlewords wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really enjoy the dissonance between startup mythology (bold innovators who play by nobody's rules) and the very conservative reality, as expressed in eligibility criteria like this. Think different, in one of the approved ways. Why this part of our industry is exempt from disruption, while everything else is fair game, is a source of constant wonder to me.

I feel obligated to point out that Microsoft Bizspark will give you free software/services for 3 years and it is "one guy working from his kitchen table"-friendly. If you're building things, they will give you stuff. Bonus: You can help support underdog upstarts like Microsoft against uncaring tech titans like Google.

Bizspark will also give you $60,000 worth of Azure credit. You have to get in touch with them and they interview you. Not exactly sure what their criteria are, but I'm part-time at a place that got the $60K Azure and it's been really helpful.
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