Comments on: The Madness of E-Crowds http://www.businesspundit.com/the-madness-of-ecrowds/ Entrepreneurship, Startup Companies and Business Philosophy Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:54:25 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Rob http://www.businesspundit.com/the-madness-of-ecrowds/comment-page-1/#comment-1940 Rob Thu, 08 Feb 2007 20:00:22 +0000 http://www.businesspundit.com.php5-6.websitetestlink.com/?p=3047#comment-1940 David, That's a valid point, and WiFi will beat cellular in the future, but I think we can step back and say that cellular was a good bridge, and that WiFi was hyped as a replacement before it was ready. That's really the point with crowds and communities. They are useful, but the old ways of doing things still have value. One could argue that in some ways, proprietary information encourages innovation. People attempt to solve new problems because they know that they will have an advantage initially b/c of their proprietary knowledge. But new knowledge needs to go through stages, which end with it being opened up for anyone to use. That's where the problem arises. I don't mind Gartner charging for a 2007 report, but if I had to pay for statistics from 2005, well, both parties would probably benefit more if that were free data. David,
That’s a valid point, and WiFi will beat cellular in the future, but I think we can step back and say that cellular was a good bridge, and that WiFi was hyped as a replacement before it was ready. That’s really the point with crowds and communities. They are useful, but the old ways of doing things still have value.

One could argue that in some ways, proprietary information encourages innovation. People attempt to solve new problems because they know that they will have an advantage initially b/c of their proprietary knowledge. But new knowledge needs to go through stages, which end with it being opened up for anyone to use. That’s where the problem arises. I don’t mind Gartner charging for a 2007 report, but if I had to pay for statistics from 2005, well, both parties would probably benefit more if that were free data.

]]> By: David G http://www.businesspundit.com/the-madness-of-ecrowds/comment-page-1/#comment-1939 David G Thu, 08 Feb 2007 18:02:49 +0000 http://www.businesspundit.com.php5-6.websitetestlink.com/?p=3047#comment-1939 This guy should read the Wealth of Networks. Benkler proves time and again that assigning proprietary rights to information stifles both innovation and value. Just yesterday, Steve Jobs described DRM as a limitation to iTunes success so that anecdote holds absolutely no water. And that comparison of mobile to wifi "buzz" truly demonstrates that this author has no clue -- until we have wifi everywhere this is an apples to oranges comparison -- but when we do, the cellular industry is dead -- and the fact he doesn't see that is laughable. This guy should read the Wealth of Networks. Benkler proves time and again that assigning proprietary rights to information stifles both innovation and value. Just yesterday, Steve Jobs described DRM as a limitation to iTunes success so that anecdote holds absolutely no water. And that comparison of mobile to wifi “buzz” truly demonstrates that this author has no clue — until we have wifi everywhere this is an apples to oranges comparison — but when we do, the cellular industry is dead — and the fact he doesn’t see that is laughable.

]]> By: laurence haughton http://www.businesspundit.com/the-madness-of-ecrowds/comment-page-1/#comment-1938 laurence haughton Thu, 08 Feb 2007 17:51:30 +0000 http://www.businesspundit.com.php5-6.websitetestlink.com/?p=3047#comment-1938 I was stunned to read (in Steve Jobs' own words) that "under 3% of the music on the average i pod, is purchased from i tunes." From all the hype I was sure i tunes was much, much more popular. I guess the common note from both the professor and from my mistaken impression about i tunes is that you have to "do the math" to separate hype from reality. Unfortunately most of the time I find doing the math incredibly hard and boring. It's easier to just buy the hype. I was stunned to read (in Steve Jobs’ own words) that “under 3% of the music on the average i pod, is purchased from i tunes.” From all the hype I was sure i tunes was much, much more popular.
I guess the common note from both the professor and from my mistaken impression about i tunes is that you have to “do the math” to separate hype from reality. Unfortunately most of the time I find doing the math incredibly hard and boring. It’s easier to just buy the hype.

]]> By: Hans http://www.businesspundit.com/the-madness-of-ecrowds/comment-page-1/#comment-1937 Hans Thu, 08 Feb 2007 16:52:41 +0000 http://www.businesspundit.com.php5-6.websitetestlink.com/?p=3047#comment-1937 Excellent point here. It is easy to get into the hype of community driven tools, but in reality there are only a few gems. Sometimes the answer is in having a good foundation with all the basics, and a nice, clear product definition. Excellent point here. It is easy to get into the hype of community driven tools, but in reality there are only a few gems. Sometimes the answer is in having a good foundation with all the basics, and a nice, clear product definition.

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