Edgeio sells all assets and goes out of business.

Here's the email I just got from Edgeio announcing that they're selling all of their assets:

Hello-
You are receiving this email because you have created a Classified Board on edgeio.com.

On Friday 7 December, due to its inability to fund ongoing operations, the Board of Directors recommended closing down the company and selling its assets. As a result there will be an auction for edgeio's assets, starting Tuesday December 11th 2007, and terminating on Friday December 21rd 2007. The service will remain operational through the auction period and, depending on the winner, may continue to run after the auction closes.

To learn more about edgeio and the auction process, visit http://wiki.edgeio.com.

Thank you for using the service-

The edgeio team

I've used the Edgeio service and had good results. I can only hope the new owner keeps the site up and running.

Google's indexing public data: Don't taze me bro!

Here's John Lewis Needham, Manager for Public Sector Content Partnerships at Google, testifies before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, December 11, 2007 on how Google is indexing all government content of public record.  

Join Sendside's Invitation Only Beta

The Sendside Invitation-only Beta is now open.

 
To submit your name for our Beta, take a second and fill out this 16 second form.

Due to the number of requests we're receiving, we may have to limit membership for a short time. If you think someone you know would also like to be included, now's the time.

Welcome to the Sendside.

What is Sendside?

Sendside is the world's first secure, private, spam–free communications network. We think it has the potential to fundamentally change the way that people & businesses interact on the web by adding something important to every interaction. Trust.

With Sendside, there are no anonymous users, and it's unbelievably secure.

It looks and feels like email (so you already know how to use it), but it's very different since you have total control over what information you send, and what people can send to you.

Here's some of the cool stuff you can already do on Sendside:

• Live without spam or phishing. (Zero. Zilch. Nada.)
• Still send to any email address. (Just like your regular email.)
• Get important info online instead of by mail. (contracts, medical records, account info. Stuff that can't be sent by email for security reasons.)
• Store all of your important documents and files online.
• Access from anywhere there's an internet connection.
• Send huge file attachments (currently 100MB)
• Recall a message even after it's been read. (Oops button)
• Restrict anyone from forwarding a message.
• See who your message was forwarded to.. and who they sent it to. Forever.
• Send a self destruct message.
• Let your kids use it as their email. (It's Family friendly)
• Did we say there was no spam? There's also no porn, Viagra, or phony messages from eBay.

Here's what you're going to be able to do pretty soon:

• Manage every business communication in one place. (Bank accounts, medical records, taxes, insurance...whatever.)
• Send or receive payments instantly. (PaySide)
• Pay every bill online. (Even a one-time bill like a $5 doctor's co-pay.)
• Accept signatures for simple approvals or legally binding contracts.

So, let the revolution begin.

Spam Justice: Spammer gets 2 years for AOL scam

A spammer from New Jersey who sent spam to 1.27 million AOL email addresses was sentenced to two years.

 
Isn't there something better than an AOL email account? Just another example of what happens in an unregulated, unsupervised, and unenforceable system.

Via Cnet:

Todd Moeller, 28, was sentenced 27 months in prison in a federal court in New York after he was caught making a deal with a government informant to send junk e-mails advertising a computer security program in return for 50 percent of the profits, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan said.

Moeller and Adam Vitale of New York pleaded guilty earlier this year to breaking antispam laws and defeating AOL's filter system by using a variety of computer servers and changing the header information on e-mails to ensure they could not be traced, court papers said.

Moeller told the informant via instant messaging he could conceal the source of the e-mails through his access to 40 different servers and had profited $40,000 a month from other spam e-mail scams that promoted stocks, prosecutors said.

In one week in August 2005 Moeller and Vitale sent e-mails on behalf of the informant to more than 1.27 million addresses of subscribers at AOL, the online division of Time Warner.

Vitale will be sentenced November 13.

Entreprenurs & understanding angel investors.

Utah considers itself an entrepreneurial state. Perhaps so. There seems to be no end of 20-somethings who have fallen in love with the two guys in a garage idea. But before Salt Lake turns into Boulder or Boston or the Bay, we’ll need more entrepreneurs who don’t quit after their first exit, and clean up the investment opportunities.

Entrepreneurs need to understand the psychology of funding sources. 

For entrepreneurs this means more than a little self education. Startup entrepreneurs who have been around a while know how this works.

William Borghetti, the CEO of Sendside Networks, tumbled me to this saying that I use constantly with new entrepreneurs. “This is farming, not hunting.”

By this he means that in order to gain the trust that’s necessary for an investor to give you money, time is one of the critical components. Unfortunately it’s mostly overlooked by novices who are trying to get the money and everything else done right now. But time’s necessary to understand, not only who you can take money from, but who you don’t want to.

(Not all money is the same. I actually heard an ‘Angel’ in a group discussion of a company comment about his plan to take advantage of an entrepreneur who he considered unsophisticated. And he’s not alone, there never seems to be a shortage of ‘mentors’ who think that they spew wisdom with every breath and want to be paid. These guys should be avoided like Typhoid Mary. I’ve seen this play out a number of times and it never works out for the entrepreneur. But the mentor’s happy to take credit for everything the company does form now on.)

More importantly, entrepreneurs need to understand a investors position. As an entrepreneur you’re looking to accumulate wealth. If you’re an investor, the first thing you’re thinking of is protecting the wealth you’ve already got. (Insert a fool and his money are soon parted here.) In addition to keeping wealth you’re looking at a limited amount of funds (all funds are limited) to invest and an unlimited opportunity to put that money to work.

So every entrepreneur is in the position of not only competing with all the investments open to an investor that are ‘safe’ (stocks, savings accounts) but with every other entrepreneurs deal. The investor is not looking at your deal and determining if it is a good idea to put money in there. An investors’ looking at your deal to determine if there’s any possible better place to put that money. Here’s the disconnect that happens with so many novice entrepreneurs who are thinking that they have a good deal so it’s worthy of investment. Entrepreneurs see this as investors being dismissive, aloof, and slow. But what’s really going on is that the investor is weighing his options and waiting in the hope that the next Google or Sendsides going to come along. Why? Because once that money’s in the company there’s no ability to get it out.

Another common problem with entrepreneurs who are looking for money is the naiveté they have when they’re obviously thinking that getting the funding is the big exit, the cash-out, the pay off. It’s not.

Getting funded is remarkably like getting a cash advance from a loan shark.

Entrepreneurs who think they’re going to take funding and give themselves back pay for sweat equity are not operating in any reality that I’m aware of.

I’ll insert a note here that Utah’s capital markets leave much to be desired. There are few resources open to entrepreneurs with the existing funding sources although this is changing. The angel groups and other investors are partly to blame for some of this with onerous preferences built into deals that actually work to the determent of both the entrepreneur, company, and investor. There will never be a way to raise additional outside rounds with some of the screwed up cap tables I’ve seen.

Utah ’s entrepreneurs need to get much smarter about trying to raise money. As an entrepreneur you should be trying to get close to other entrepreneurs who are ‘in the know’ rather than potential investors. Entrepreneurs know who to look to, who’s an ass, what that persons reputation is and where to go. Angels won’t tell you this because they all know each other. It’s the entrepreneurs that you need to look to for the straight talk.

Remember this; High net worth does not mean they’re actually worth much.

Read this post in Launch Magazine. 

Googles fear of Facebook's social garden.

I head that during Phil Windley's CTO Breakfast last month some discussion of Sendside came up and was generally blasted as being untenable for the simple fact that it's a walled garden...

(Fortune Magazine) -- Facebook's got Google running scared

Google is the elephant in nearly every corner of the Internet, from search and advertising to web-based e-mail, online mapping, and home-brewed video. With its share price setting new highs this fall, its market cap ($188 billion) is now large enough to buy the New York Times, the Washington Post, Gannett, and Time Warner - twice. Or Facebook many, many times over.

The problem is, Facebook's not for sale. And that's got Google running scared. It's an open secret in Silicon Valley that the company has been shopping around a nondisclosure agreement outlining its plan to create its own massive social network - and asking anyone with a pulse to sign it.

Google (Charts, Fortune 500) has to do something fast, because some of its best talent is starting to head for the exits. In July, Gideon Yu, finance chief at Google's YouTube, left for Facebook. Now other Google guys, stuck in the Googleplex and smelling a Facebook IPO that could turn early employees into early retirees, are also jumping ship...

...Now the social networks are trying to do the opposite - to build what I call the Innernet. It's the place you occupy with family and friends and where you exercise almost absolute control, showing the world only as much of your true self as you care to while protecting you and yours from the evil that lurks on the wider web, from spam artists to identity thieves. Whoever builds that walled garden stands to make the next great Internet fortune.

Welcome to the Sendside, your own private walled garden. 

Headlines for Sendside: Telling a story.

Sendside's about to lauch our Beta, If you haven't requested a Sendside membership I'd encourage you to do so since we're limiting the Beta to 10,000. (Request a Sendside Membership here.)

Before that happens we're  working hammer and tongs to get our sites updated, create Sendside's corporate and Sendside user blog, wiki, forums and such, launch SEO, direct contact, and guerilla campaigns, and keep a number of advertising and development teams on track. It will of course result in the perfect storm in Nov/Dec. (Insert crossed fingers here.)

We're currently working with an agency on headlines for Sendside.com, the main portal site for users. I the spirit of transparency and disclosure, I publish some of the headlines we're looking at for various purposes. In the spirit of brevity, I've included only 20 or so.

Sendside Headlines: 

Email revolutionized communication
and we revolutionized email.
Which makes us doubly revolutionary.

++

Email was the first (small?) step.
Sendside is the giant leap for mankind.

++

Sendside
e
email
evolved
Sendside
Sendside, highly evolved communications.

+++

When was the last time you wanted to kiss your inbox?

++

Sending that critical report to your client should be a weight off of your shoulders. If not we have an Oops button.

++

Your future email will let you send huge files, control your message even after you send it, come with an Oops button and make martinis. Until then, no martinis. Sendside, highly evolved communications.

++

Sendside; you’ll want to French-kiss your inbox.

++

We’re happy to inform you that everything before us is obsolete.

++

Perfect online communication. This concludes our service menu.

++

Email for control freaks, spam haters, and environmentalists.

++

Sendside. Email walking upright. 

++

Spam? Phishing? Junk mail? Sendside, ignorance is bliss.

++

In the future there will be no spam, phishing, or junk mail. Welcome to the future: Sendside.

++

Give up your spam. Sendside.

++

Sendside users need to know a number of ways to deal with spam, phishing and junk mail. (That number is, of
course, zero.)

++

You give up things when you switch to Sendside. Things like spam, phishing, and junk mail.

++

Technology that works the way you want. Sendside.

++

Email just went the way of the Dodo bird.

++

We took a long, hard look at email and we didn't like what we saw. So we decided to get rid of it. Sendside.

++

Email was invented in 1982. Today it was perfected.

++

This ain’t your momma’s email.

++

Email for control freaks, spam haters, and environmentalists.

++

Sendside. Email walking upright.

++

The spam stops here.

So there it is. Part of Sendside's benefit proposition for our end users. If any of these lines tickle your curiosity, make sure you sign up for the Beta. 

Is Google pimping your blog... or just pimping you?

SInce Google's been on the tear, there's been a discernable backlash that I think will continue to grow. Google's the next Microsoft that will be the business that people love to hate.

While the much ballyhooed 'do no evil' is touted, Google's detractors are also getting more coherent.

Here's part of a post from Online Advertising about how Google's pimping out your blog. (And not in a good way.) 

• They bully you into thinking that you cannot stand up to them and say anything bad about them or your SEO results might drop, or you Google PR might suddenly dip.   Just like real world pimps do to their hookers, they bully them into feeling like they have no choice but to stay with the pimp.
  
  
• Google threatens you if you decide to make some of your own money off selling your own text links on your own site.  Google does not want you to make any side cash that cuts them out of the deal.  If Google finds out that you are cheating on them they will probably also cut your PR ranking down to size.  Almost like real world pimps except they probably beat their hookers if they earn money somewhere else.
  
  
• They will take anything they can get.  Yes, just like hookers who really don’t have any standard as to who they do business with, Google again has absolutely no standards.  They will let any site run Google AdSense, it doesn’t matter if the content is stolen, ripped off, questionable, nonsensical, full of profanity, racist, complete garbage, duplicated, never updated and just plan crap, Google will bang it.
  
  
• Just like real world pimps who already have low ethical standards and don’t usually have any problems promoting and/or making money off other illegal activity, Google too, does not care if companies who are advertising on their network are committing federal offenses.  Selling counterfeits of registered trademarked material is illegal and is actually a federal offense in many countries including the good old US of A, where Google is headquartered.  Does Google care if thousands of companies are selling counterfeits through its advertising service?  Hell no.  Do a quick search on Google for “Louis Vuitton” Probably one of the most ripped off brands in the world.  This search you will not only finds tonnes of companies selling illegal products, try to actually find a legit one.  (Vuitton sued Google successfully in Feb 2005 for this very reason and they still turn a blind eye.)  Does Google refuse this money?  Why would they?

As for myself, I use Yahoo.

America is conducting torture by any standard.

Via the times: The 'Good German' Among Us

Ten days ago The Times unearthed yet another round of secret Department of Justice memos countenancing torture. President Bush gave his standard response: “This government does not torture people.” Of course, it all depends on what the meaning of “torture” is. The whole point of these memos is to repeatedly recalibrate the definition so Mr. Bush can keep pleading innocent.

By any legal standards except those rubber-stamped by Alberto Gonzales, we are practicing torture, and we have known we are doing so ever since photographic proof emerged from Abu Ghraib more than three years ago. As Andrew Sullivan, once a Bush cheerleader, observed last weekend in The Sunday Times of London, America’s “enhanced interrogation” techniques have a grotesque provenance: “Verschärfte Vernehmung, enhanced or intensified interrogation, was the exact term innovated by the Gestapo to describe what became known as the ‘third degree.’ It left no marks. It included hypothermia, stress positions and long-time sleep deprivation.”

In my opinion there's no excuse for this. The common argument that 'torture by the good guys saves lives' is a red herring. It pains me that the United States will never again have the reputation we enjoyed during the cold war.

John D. Hutson, who served as the Navy’s top lawyer from 1997 to 2000, said he believed that the existence of legal opinions justifying abusive treatment is pernicious, potentially blurring the rules for Americans handling prisoners.

“I know from the military that if you tell someone they can do a little of this for the country’s good, some people will do a lot of it for the country’s better,” Mr. Hutson said. Like other military lawyers, he also fears that official American acceptance of such treatment could endanger Americans in the future.

“The problem is, once you’ve got a legal opinion that says such a technique is O.K., what happens when one of our people is captured and they do it to him? How do we protest then?” he asked.

Sendside Networks Blog: Bringing trust back to the web.

Sendside's new insider blog.

 
Since I've joined up with the rest of the Sendside team, I've got the responsibility of building Sendsides footprint on the web and engendering some trust.

If you're reading this blog or subscribing through the RSS feed, I'd suggest that you subscribe to this new blog as well. 

While I'll comment on Sendside with regularity here, this new Sendside blog will be the repository for most of the 'deep insider' posts and I'll certainly be adding other authors as well.

The site may change names or designs but I think I've got the basics nailed down. It looks pretty good if I do say so myself, I guess number twelve is the charm. 

Top 10 Worst Startup Tech Names

Via Read / Write Web: Top ten worst tech startup names.

I guess that they're getting the link love anyway. 

1. Fairtilizer - an online music service we recently reviewed. The service is great, but the name attracted a bit of attention, for example Valleywag suggested (rather subtly, given their rep) that Fairtilizer re-brand. And The Name Inspector posted about it. Although even he seemed lost for words, starting off with: "Oh dear. The Name Inspector doesn’t even know where to begin." He eventually concluded that it is a bad pun, which has some unfortunate connotations. In case the penny hasn't dropped yet: the name is basically a pun of fertilizer. And while fertilizer makes things grow, it is also translates as 'a pile of shit'.

2. Profilactic is a social network product, which aggregates and mashes up feeds. It sounds like a cool product, but the name is just bizarre. It could be a way of getting attention, because they've proudly listed on their homepage some criticisms of it. For example Marc Canter is quoted as saying "Profilactic sounds so - so - so named by a young person. How can that be a product?". Nuff said.

3. gravee is a community-powered, social search engine that personalizes results according to users' interests. The name is a pun on gravy, but uses the web 2.0 standard of two 'e's.

4. LicketyShip is an e-commerce service that delivers goods within a couple of hours of ordering. It's a reasonable pun on lickety split, but seems like a hard domain for people to remember.

5. Oyogi is a community built around questions and answers. The name would connote spiritual peace of mind... except there's an 'o' in it.

6. Layoffspace - this is a social network for the unemployed, so this name is contextual and even slightly witty. It is mainly on this list because it's an unwieldy attempt to copy the MySpace name.

7. iStalkr - it's a web app that allows you to create a lifestream tracking all your RSS feeds for services you use, like Digg, Del.icio.us, Ma.gnolia, etc. It creates a time line of your activities. The name is a good fit, it's just a bit scary ;-)

8. Agester - a community where you can guess people's age, find out how old you look, and meet new people. It's on this list because it's a lame use of the "ster" cliche (Friendster, Napster, Dogster, etc).

9. hoooka is an online store for sharing videos, photos and audio. OK it's pretty witty and appropriate for its target audience. Maybe the extra 'o' threw us (we seem to have something against extraneous 'o's...Zooomr is another cuplrit).

10. Qoop is a service allowing users to create and sell content. It's a meaningless word, a naming tactic that has become common in web 2.0 - pretty harmless really. We only selected it because it sounds too much like "goop".

Nimble Theory was Sendsider for a day.

I'm changing the name of this blog again. I can't remember what it started out as. Most recently it's been Nimble Theory. Now it's Sendsider.

While Sendsider feels specific to Sendside Networks, I'll still be posting about Fight Club (which is about to make a come back by the way), angel investing, managing, startups, and the like. There may certainly be a change in the overall tone since I'm reducing greatly my time and involvement in Surface Medical and the businesses around it.

Sendsides in an odd situation right now. In the near term we're staying relatively quiet, which contradicts somewhat my need and desire to build interest and add users into the system. In November we're going to be opening our product to a limited number of Beta users to garner some feedback and try to get the user experience to be nirvana. We'll see what happens.

I'll be adding a link shortly for those of you who would like to get in to this Beta. 

Update on 2007-10-13 16:28 by Jeff Barson

Oops. I spoke to soon. I've decided that Sendsider will be the blog for Sendside users and I'll keep this site as my own at Nimble Theory.

Kidgrater: The newest child toy from China.

China's newest import, the KidGrater

Led paint, choking hazzards, unsecured magnets that may cause intestinal blockages step aside, KidGrater is sure to get the job done.

With China's adherence to child safety seen as... optional, the KidGrater is sure to find niche that's yet to be discovered by such palid child-offing tools as lead paint and poorly attached magnets. This is perfect to increase the average IQ in US playgrounds.

While Beijing has no official comment on the Kidgrater, numerous officials have told media sources off the record that it's an attempt to address the sissy like attitudes of American parents.

"Well give the round-eyes something real to complain about", said on official. "We've tested this extensively and eight times down the KidGrater was the where most kids lost interest. But we're building one for every playground in America."

Increasing evidence that China is becoming a world power. 

Web Design: UI, CSS, & a certain coolness factor.

Stint building UI, blogs, & other...

I find myself in need of some design, css, interface, mocks, html and other stuff. We've decided to bring some of this development inside so I'm casting a web to see if I know anyone who's in the market or a freelancer who may want a gig of a few months. You'll be builiding blogs, UI work, CSS, mocks and demos, possibly some print and collateral, whatever needs doing.

This is an opportunity, not a job. Contractor at first till we both decide if we like each other. This is a perfect opportunity for a younger designer who codes or a coder who knows a little about design to get a toe into a real startup.

Must have:

• Design sense that doesn't suck. The better your design sense, the more I'll like you.
• Familiarity with wordpress & blogging.
• CSS, HTML, & probably some java junk.
• Smarter that you are dumb.
• Ability to get things done.
  

Compensation:

This is a paying gig that will probably last a few months at least. If you're entry level and willing to learn, fine. If you're senior and willing to pull your weight for a while, also fine. I'll pay whatever you're actually worth.

You can email me at jeffbarson at sendside dot com and I'll call you.

Sendside Swag

I've put up a store over on Cafe Press for Sendside Swag and Email 2.0.

(I wanted a coffee mug but all I got was this thong.)

We're reworking a number of things so you may want to grab a mug or some boxers for posterity. It would be like having the Google logo on your underwear with all of the letters the same color. That's got to be worth something on eBay in the future.

In fact, I'll give anyone who buys this thong and emails me a picture of themselves in it a Sendside pro account when go live. (Is that gramatically correct?)

If you send a video, I'll give you two. 

Sendside is looking for a Software Product Manager

Calvin's looking for a good Software Product Manager so I figured I'd take a second and pimp my blog for the right fit. This is an entrepreneurial environment using Extreme Programming.

Send your Software Product Manager thesis here or fill out this Software Product Manager form....

Here's what Calvin Skyped me as his needs:

Sendside Networks is currently seeking a strong Software Product Manager responsible for developing and owning the roadmap for increasing profitability and success of already existing products as well as developing and launching new products. This role includes leading cross-functional resources necessary for successful product definition, development, release, marketing and sales. We are seeking someone who is technically savvy but can also envision and communicate the "big picture" on the business/sales side.

    * Manage the entire product lifecycle of the application from strategic planning to tactical launch plans and enhancements
    * Collaborate with business units to understand business goals, global market and customer requirements
    * Work with technology teams to define technical solutions and alternatives to meet business needs and leverage Sendside Networks technology.
    * Define product requirements and implement a company-wide market plan, working with all departments to execute
    * Ability to communicate and work with all areas of the company and act as a liaison between sales and engineering to ensure that the product requirements meet the market demands
    * Manage customer relationships for use in marketing and sales program

Requirements:

    * 5+ years of software product management experience
    * Demonstrated experience with successful software product management efforts and launches.
    * Technical proficiency and ability to understand complex products/architectures
    * Solid understanding of product development life cycle including knowledge of softwared design and development processes and tools, as well as familiarity with deployment and operations
    * Strong analytical, business, communication and organizational skills
    * Ability to manage multiple project simultaneously and comfortable working in a fast paced environment
    * Demonstrated leadership in cross-functional team environments
    * Computer Science or Engineering degree
    * Previous experience working in a Startup environment is a strong plus

Education and Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree (B.A.) in Engineering or Information Technology or equivalent preferred.

Compensation:

We pay well, offering salary, equity and bonus packages to the right individuals. And since our office is less than 30 minutes away from the Wasatch Mountains and “the greatest snow on earth,” we insist that employees enjoy powder days when conditions are right!

Benefits:

Employees will be eligible to participate in the Company’s health and dental benefit plans.

Technologists

Database Architect
Director of QA
Senior Software Engineer
Software Architect
Software Engineer

Earnest Shackleton & Startups

Earnest Shackleton had a problem.

He was organizing an expedition to the South Pole and he needed a crew for his ship the Endurance. His goal was to land on the Antarctic continent and become the first to cross it.

(He named his endeavor the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition and December 5, 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton and 27 men under his command sailed from South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic aboard the Endurance.)

He had a starup, and he needed a team.

Shackleton could have tried to sell potential hires but he didn't. He needed to have his team self-select for the troubled times, not the good ones. He had a fair amount going for him in that he was an know explorer and had some name recognition.

He ran the following ad in the Times and according to the story, he was inundated with applications.

"Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of winter. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success."

Startups are not for everyone.

Having just joined Sendside Networks, I was at a baseball game Saturday when my Sister in LA called. During the conversation, we talked about Sendside and it got me thinking about why I would join a company where we would need a astronomically huge exit to make it a good financial decision when you factor in the income and opportunities I'll be loosing by just running my own businesses. (It made me wonder if one of the horses had kicked me in the head and I just couldn't remember it.)

So since my income may be dropping dramatically, I've been thinking why I'd join a startup. Here's what I find attractive:

It's a big idea: I see lots of deals that the entrepreneur thinks is big but really aren't. (That's not to say that they're not good businesses) World domination is always the goal and building an entirely new communications platform that could conceivably replace email is about as big as ideas get. Those are the kind of ideas I'm attracted to.

I like William, Geoff and the rest of the team: I've know William Borghetti for two years or so. When I decide to invite some people I knew to start a group of Park City Angels, William was at the top of the list. If you're going to work with someone in this kind of environment, you'd better like and respect them. I also like Geoff, Dave, Charlie, Calvin and everyone else I've met who's involved.

It's a challenge that fits my skill set: I have a low tolerance for stasis. Startups are an opportunity to move in a lot of directions at once and get things done.

It's green: The possibility that we may have a positive effect on the environment's not lost on me. Having spent some time trying to save Polar Bears I have a soft spot for hugging trees and smiling kids.

I'm choosing opportunity over security: I just don't understand anyone who actually want's a job. The first summer in college I had a job in a chemical factory. Some of the guys I worked with just wanted to have a job, a nice truck, and keep putting more chrome on it. I just don't get that. Give me the ability to make fresh tracks every time.

It's a door: If Sendside builds into a tenth of it's potential there will be plenty of other opportunities.

It's odd to me that most people don't make decision on these types of criteria. They'd like to, but they don't. They continually choose what they think is security. But the truth is that there isn't any security. People coming out of college today will change careers on average four time over their working lives.

There never is any real security. And there never will be. 

Look at these two options:

Option 1: $100,000 salary and 50,000 options
Option 2:   $80,000 salary and 80,000 options

The real decision is this: Is the extra $20,000 a year (a total of $80,000 over a four year vesting period) a better deal than an extra 30,000 options that may be worth a total of $1,000,000. (Insert any amount)  So it's a question of a relatively safe $80k (if you're not fired which you may well be) vs a potential $1m. Is that even a question? In my mind it's not. Even if you only make $300,000 in the options it's a better deal. (Of course there's a risk that it's going to be worth nothing.)

But it's far more common to take the extra $20k.

If you'd take the $20k you're looking for a job. Shackleton would have left you on the dock.

Sendside Networks: Joining a startup.

I'm charting a new course and leaving the realm of being entirely my own boss in order to join a team.

I've decided to join Sendside Networks. (The consumer facing part of Sendside is at Sendside.com)

Why? There are a number of reasons but in short it comes down to choosing opportunity over security. It's a character flaw. I can't help it. Since world domination's always the goal I just can't afford to be risk adverse.

This blog may well become more active since there are a number of new items of interest, the Park City Angels Group as well as Sendside. Fight Club is going to become a lot more active again as well.

Need a geek?

Phil Burns is taking on some contract work.

Phil's been working on Tag Jungle, The Daily Spike and now a payment system and needs some contract work to keep his lights on. If you've got a need for a web project, fire off an email and do your duty. After all, we're all capitalists here. 

From Phil's post: 

I’ve decided to start doing a bit of contract work again for a little while.  If you’re looking to have any kind of website or programming work done, I’d be happy to put a bid on it.  Some jobs will be too big, no job too small

For background info on me, click here.  For my resume, download this word doc.  Feel free to call me at (801)616-1830 or email me at phil801@phil801.com to discuss potential projects.  Thanks!

Stumble Upon

Stumble Upon has some people moving power.

Simple Curiosity? my 'irrelevant thoughts blog' has a post on it that must have been picked up by Stumble Upon the day before yesterday because when I logged in, I saw that I had an extra 5,000 visitors to a post I wrote on Why time slows down when approaching the Speed of Light. Bada bing.

I'm not sure of the long term benefits of being stumbled but it did add another 150 rss subscribers so I'm nothing but happy.