August 2007
13 posts
Software garden
Rather than construction, software is more like gardening—it is more organic than concrete. You plant many things in a garden according to an initial plan and conditions. Some thrive, others are destined to end up as compost. You may move plantings relative to each other to take advantage of the interplay of light and shadow, wind and rain. Overgrown plants get split or pruned, and colors that...
Never Eat Alone (excerpt from the book)
Individualism ruled for much of the 19th and 20th centuries.But community and alliances will be the themes of the 21st. But, ultimately, making your mark as a connector is less about reaching personal goals and more about making a contribution — to your family and friends, to your company, to your community, and to the world — by making the best use of your contacts and talents. There’s nothing...
New $10 billion software company
71% of attendees expect to see a new $10 billion plus enterprise software company in the next decade. ( I agree, but I think it will be a very different kind of company, and our very understanding of what an “enterprise software company” is will have changed by then. This question is analogous to asking business people early in the rise of the personal computer if there would be a $10...
“Now that wasn’t so hard, but here comes the second point of the chapter,...”
– Joel Greenblatt, The Little Book That Beats The Market
Simplicity
Simplicity is a very powerful construct. Henry Thoreau recognized this when he said, “Our life is frittered away by detail… simplify, simplify.” Einstein also recognized the power of simplicity, and it was the key to his breakthroughs in physics. He noted that the five ascending levels of intellect were, “Smart, Intelligent, Brilliant, Genius, Simple.” For Einstein,...
“How do you make two systems loosely coupled? Don’t connect them.”
– David Orchard, BEA
“In the very good times, it seems as if investing is about accepting wealth. You...”
– Paul Merriman, FundAdvice.com
“The opportunity we have with the net is making more people feel that...”
– Brewster Kahle, archive.org
“Following its national oil production peak, the US was able to compensate by...”
– Richard Heinberg