A VC: http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2008/10/hacker-news-tec.html
kidmercury
· 1 year ago
killer post!
IMO it's all about competing on the voice dimension, not so much the algorithmic dimension. to that extent i am expecting algorithmic stuff to be commoditized and value to shift to voice stuff. ergo, the highly profitable blogger revolution coupled joins the open source revolution to create a mega disruption.
Wesmax27
· 1 year ago
hello, fred. which aggregator do you read for music?
fredwilson
· 1 year ago
the hype machine, you get to listen and read at the same time. it's awesome
Ben Ruedlinger
· 1 year ago
Fred, it's about influence. While Google will likely win the race for traffic, Techmeme already has the hearts and minds of the influencers. I don't know about you, but I don't see that changing soon. Now if Gabe can only figure out how to monetize the influence....
Now if Gabe can only figure out how to monetize the influence.
"Monthly rates begin at $5500" per http://techmeme.com/sponsor ... x6 ads at the moment = nice income, even assuming part of it goes to "pay him back" for working without any salary initially.
Ben Ruedlinger
· 1 year ago
That is the ratecard price....actual revenue may vary....
Josh Young
· 1 year ago
How does Gabe's voice shine through Techmeme? How might it be different if someone else built it?
fredwilson
· 1 year ago
i think if i ever meet Gabe, i'll immediately recognize his voice. it's all over techmeme actually
kenberger
· 1 year ago
I follow Techmeme by monitoring its homepage RSS in my feedreader. blogsearch.google.com doesn't seem to have that (someone pls tell me if i'm missing it).
That's a BIG deal.
Jamie Lin
· 1 year ago
And I think we ought to give techmeme credit for actually featuring the google blogsearch news on top of its front page most part of this morning! (I actually linked to this post via there!) If that's a choice Gabe actually made, man I admire him for embracing the news and stay true to his site's purpose, serve its readers.
As far as comparing the updated google blogsearch with techmeme, besides what you have said, I think google's interface is also too standard google cookie cutter. they still have a long way to go before becoming as easy to use as techmeme, which is essentially what aggregators are about -- providing convenience, right?
blogcosm
· 1 year ago
And I think we ought to give techmeme credit for actually featuring the google blogsearch news on top of its front page most part of this morning!
I'm pretty sure the site is more-or-less 100% algorithms not editorial selections. Still, there's an indirect "voice" by the way the algorithm works, the various tuning parameters that it surely has, and other secret sauce that I won't even speculate about.
ceonyc
· 1 year ago
And "people" live to die another day against our machine overlords...
NICCAI
· 1 year ago
You're not doing a very good job pumping the stock you just bought.....:D Just kidding. Thought it was funny. The important part about Google Blog Search is that it isn't limited to the tech scene. I think that will appeal long term as more and more influencers crop up in other industries and disciplines.
steveray
· 1 year ago
The last true killer technology may have been VHS
Ezra Nugroho
· 1 year ago
Hi Fred,
It's nice to know that you like blog aggregation sites. I personally like that over feed readers too.
Anyway, do you have a favourite on VC blog aggregation? I just launched http://www.planetvc.com yesterday, featuring vc bloggers including you!! :) Hopefully you might find it useful to keep up with other VC bloggers.
Do let me know your thoughts about it.
delmar
· 1 year ago
that's how you inform yourself? eek. you're really self-selecting. sorry but that ain't enough. i use all three of the sources quoted above - but that's just the beginning of knowledge.
Andrew
· 1 year ago
I do the same thing when I see the word "killer." Its so annoying. Iphone killer? Ipod killer? Yeah right.
If anything, techmeme killed google's tech news section years ago.
Lenny
· 1 year ago
I agree. TechMeme works beautifully. I have no desire to change no matter what comes along. I still check multiple news sources every day as Google News is just not a very nice experience.
Peter W
· 1 year ago
Just curious, Fred ... what blog aggregators do you use for music and politics?
Dasher
· 1 year ago
I was trying to think of one major service that Google created/invented first.
Search engine Paid search Email Online docs Maps Mobile OS Online video Social networking Browser RSS/news/blog aggregators
None of the above. See what I mean?
In some of the cases they made major improvements to existing services, but I can't think of one thing they created first. So is 20% time mostly used to copying original ideas of others and trying to improving them?
Can anyone list services that originated from Google?
Mrinal
· 1 year ago
Apart from the ones you mentioned, I would recommend Popurls - one source for all other social sites.
Isaac
· 1 year ago
-- All algorithm and no "voice"'
Good observation. Hadn't ever stopped to think about that but it's quite obvious now that you've mentioned it.
As kidmercury says, the lack of personality will leave them competing on price and functionality alone, leaving loads of room for people to 'add flavour' with their own forays.
jarid
· 1 year ago
Case in point, do a Google search for "Google Killer": -Cuill -Powerset -Quintura -Clusty -Hakia -Wisenut
Oh, and 2 more.. lol -Microsoft -Yahoo
Richard MacManus
· 1 year ago
Interesting observation to say that Techmeme has Gabe's "voice". I'm not sure he'd like that, because as humans we have biases - so is that saying Techmeme has Gabe's biases? I don't think it does - my understanding is that Techmeme is about the algorithm, which evolved from the initial blog sources Gabe used right at the start. But right now it's the algo that runs things. I would say Techmeme has a unique brand and maybe that brand has a 'voice'.
I kind of agree though that Hacker News has Paul Graham's voice, because Graham is a very influential and outgoing personality on the Web (i.e. his fans love him and generally follow his opinions, which you can see in some of the stories on Hacker News).
All Comments
IMO it's all about competing on the voice dimension, not so much the algorithmic dimension. to that extent i am expecting algorithmic stuff to be commoditized and value to shift to voice stuff. ergo, the highly profitable blogger revolution coupled joins the open source revolution to create a mega disruption.
Ben Ruedlinger
http://wistia.com
Wistia, Making Video Productive
"Monthly rates begin at $5500" per http://techmeme.com/sponsor ... x6 ads at the moment = nice income, even assuming part of it goes to "pay him back" for working without any salary initially.
blogsearch.google.com doesn't seem to have that (someone pls tell me if i'm missing it).
That's a BIG deal.
As far as comparing the updated google blogsearch with techmeme, besides what you have said, I think google's interface is also too standard google cookie cutter. they still have a long way to go before becoming as easy to use as techmeme, which is essentially what aggregators are about -- providing convenience, right?
I'm pretty sure the site is more-or-less 100% algorithms not editorial selections. Still, there's an indirect "voice" by the way the algorithm works, the various tuning parameters that it surely has, and other secret sauce that I won't even speculate about.
It's nice to know that you like blog aggregation sites. I personally like that over feed readers too.
Anyway, do you have a favourite on VC blog aggregation?
I just launched http://www.planetvc.com yesterday, featuring vc bloggers including you!! :)
Hopefully you might find it useful to keep up with other VC bloggers.
Do let me know your thoughts about it.
If anything, techmeme killed google's tech news section years ago.
Search engine
Paid search
Email
Online docs
Maps
Mobile OS
Online video
Social networking
Browser
RSS/news/blog aggregators
None of the above. See what I mean?
In some of the cases they made major improvements to existing services, but I can't think of one thing they created first. So is 20% time mostly used to copying original ideas of others and trying to improving them?
Can anyone list services that originated from Google?
Good observation. Hadn't ever stopped to think about that but it's quite obvious now that you've mentioned it.
As kidmercury says, the lack of personality will leave them competing on price and functionality alone, leaving loads of room for people to 'add flavour' with their own forays.
-Cuill
-Powerset
-Quintura
-Clusty
-Hakia
-Wisenut
Oh, and 2 more.. lol
-Microsoft
-Yahoo
I kind of agree though that Hacker News has Paul Graham's voice, because Graham is a very influential and outgoing personality on the Web (i.e. his fans love him and generally follow his opinions, which you can see in some of the stories on Hacker News).