Michael Arrington, author of TechCrunch, lead a session focused mostly on start-up Internet companies. Notes from that:
- Calls TechCrunch a micro-business, he employs 5 people
- Defines success as 1) making money AND 2) making the Internet a better place to hang out
- Rejects the notion that we’re all in an echo chamber and that none of these new companies won’t go mainstream (Digg gets as much traffic as the New York Times)
- YouTube is cool, he started watching SNL again after “20 years” because he saw a clip from the show there
- They spent $75,000 to launch Edgeio
- Pointed out Fox’s acquisition person in the audience, Heather
- He says MySpace is pulling a Friendster — slow page loads, things breaking, not enough people
- Chastised Scott Rafer (feedster founder, now with dogster — myspaces for pets) for not promoting the industry
As with Michael’s contention that I don’t support the industry, his other facts were wrong as well. I didn’t found Feedster (Scott Johnson and Francois Schiettecatte did), and I’m a only a part-time consultant at Dogster. At least he’s consistent.