Recent Comments
The Amoral Botnet

The Amoral Botnet...

It’s April 1, the day of the supposed massive deathstrike from the Conficker worm. This is extremely unlikely, because it conflicts with the interests of the botnet’s operators. Compare Ebola to the common cold. Ebola kills its victims within a few days, so outbreaks are rare...
Read More
Two years of Development Can Save You a Month of Research

Two years of Developmen...

Grad students have a wonderful saying: “Six weeks in the lab can save you two hours in the library.” The same applies to software companies. Building the wrong product is an expensive proposition, and for startups, it’s usually fatal. The good news is that a well-run research...
Read More
The Waiting is Over

The Waiting is Over...

I hear two consistent themes when I talk to people about 2008. First, good riddance. They’re happy to consign 2008 to the dustbin of history. After all it was a long slide into national angst punctuated by a half dozen crises (and yes, a remarkable election.) Second, they’re sick...
Read More
Are Your Focusing on the Wrong Kind of Risk?

Are Your Focusing on th...

When you’re starting a software company, your two biggest risks are: Technology risk — the risk that you can’t make the product you want Adoption risk — the risk that customers don’t want the product you make In my experience, startups usually overestimate technology...
Read More