The Mercury News’ quarterly venture capital survey, Money Tree, showed the usual incredible growth. Notice the proximity of the words “usual” and “incredible” — words that don’t belong together.
Call me old-fashioned, but I still think risk matters. And I wonder if the venture capital boom could turn into a venture capital bust. More in my Sunday column.
Security, Security, Security
ZDNet: Tough love for Microsoft users: How many times do users of Windows need to be kicked in the head?
Microsoft and the Past
Microsoft’s brazen twisting of history continues to amaze me.
In its objections to the government’s breakup proposals, the company recalls the AT&T breakup (New York Times) with great trepidation. But the history it cites is not exactly true, the Times points out, also noting some inaccuracies on the part of the Justice Department.
What’s amazing, though, is that no one bothers to note the key thing that is not parallel in this situation. AT&T was a regulated monopoly before it was broken up. Microsoft today is an unregulated monopoly.
Surely, therefore, Microsoft will concede that it should be regulated if it’s not broken up? Yeah, right.
See also: NTK notes that Bill Gates’ recent pleadings in Time Magazine, in which he says a breakup would cause terrible damage, are also remarkably contrary to history.