Gee, and people wonder why UK startups hate the VCs over there.
Xobni - a waste of money
greatapps.blogspot.com
Xobni - a waste of money
1–10 of 66 posts
Re: Xobni - a waste of money
#2Here's an example of how the context-freeness of the web can work against you. I've never seen this guy's blog before. The headline was just interesting enough to get above my click threshold. But when I got to the post, all I noticed was how badly written it is:
perhaps it was quickly than trying to replicate
some Microsoft underlying thinks that they will make the old boss happy
If I knew the writer to be a frequent source of good insights, this wouldn't have much effect. But I don't, so it does.
Re: Xobni - a waste of money
#3I didn't care about social aspect at all, there were two absolutely crucial features in Xobni that I absolutely loved:
1. Ability to instantly see all attachments sent by a given person.
2. Outlook's own search is unusable, I never mastered it, Xobni was a godsend.
Take any product: some people like it and some won't. I liked Xobni and this guy didn't. God knows why, perhaps he didn't have enough attachments or didn't bother to search anything because of his phenomenal memory or something :)))
Re: Xobni - a waste of money
#4This isn't actually a 'vc' in the UK who has any standing either
Re: Xobni - a waste of money
#5I didn't care about social aspect at all, there were two absolutely crucial features in Xobni that I absolutely loved: 1. Ability to instantly see all attachments sent by a given person. 2. Outlook's own search is unusable, I never mastered it, Xobni was a godsend. Take any product: some people like it and some won't. I liked Xobni and this guy didn't. God knows why, perhaps he didn't have enough attachments or didn'…
Note, he used it on a home machine using his webmail, not his work email. Xobni seems much more useful for professional email than the email account you use for your amazon account and emailing your parents.
Re: Xobni - a waste of money
#6This isn't actually a 'vc' in the UK who has any standing either
Can you share any more?
Re: Xobni - a waste of money
#7Here's an example of how the context-freeness of the web can work against you. I've never seen this guy's blog before. The headline was just interesting enough to get above my click threshold. But when I got to the post, all I noticed was how badly written it is: perhaps it was quickly than trying to replicate some Microsoft underlying thinks that they will make the old boss happy If I knew the writer to be a frequen…
This is the third time in a short span that I've found myself interested in your comments. Contact me if you'd be interested in discussing issues relating to context online further (my email address is in my profile).
Re: Xobni - a waste of money
#8Here's an example of how the context-freeness of the web can work against you. I've never seen this guy's blog before. The headline was just interesting enough to get above my click threshold. But when I got to the post, all I noticed was how badly written it is: perhaps it was quickly than trying to replicate some Microsoft underlying thinks that they will make the old boss happy If I knew the writer to be a frequen…
Dismissing comments because of spelling errors? Not sure where it would lie in PG's categories (ad hominen?), but anyway. I remember the other saying, that sometimes you can learn more from your enemies than from your friends, because they are more likely to tell you the truth. How many people here on HN will dare to criticize a YC startup?
Personally I don't need or use Xobni, so I can't comment. And anyway, I probably make a lot of spelling mistakes, too, because English is only my second language. So feel free to ignore my comments.
Re: Xobni - a waste of money
#9I tend to agree. It was worth having a go at buying the company, but now they've been rebuffed their next best option is simply to clone the interesting bits in house.
It'll take them six months to produce a reasonable facsimile , but then they probably don't have another feature release planned for that amount of time anyway.
Personally, I think the Xobni guys are fools for refusing the offer. If Microsoft are interested in acquiring the technology, then they're almost certainly going to become a competitor now the offer is refused. They could do far worse than selling out for 20 odd million in cash and stock, spending a couple of years working for Microsoft while their stock vests and then going on to the next big thing. Instead they've got themselves an uphill battle in which they are running very barely ahead of a corporate juggernaut.
Well whatever happens, it should be entertaining.
Re: Xobni - a waste of money
#10Here's an example of how the context-freeness of the web can work against you. I've never seen this guy's blog before. The headline was just interesting enough to get above my click threshold. But when I got to the post, all I noticed was how badly written it is: perhaps it was quickly than trying to replicate some Microsoft underlying thinks that they will make the old boss happy If I knew the writer to be a frequen…
Dismissing comments because of spelling errors? Not sure where it would lie in PG's categories (ad hominen?), but anyway. I remember the other saying, that sometimes you can learn more from your enemies than from your friends, because they are more likely to tell you the truth. How many people here on HN will dare to criticize a YC startup? Personally I don't need or use Xobni, so I can't comment. And anyway, I proba…
>> How many people here on HN will dare to criticize a YC startup?
You said it. Doing so is grounds for ruthless downmodding on here.
PG said there are 30 editors now. People are getting accounts marked dead at the drop of a hat, if they don't drink the kool-aid.