On 11/20/2013 10:40 AM, Richard Yates wrote: > That's a good possibility. Just be sure I was not missing something I looked > up "double down." I think they liked the connotations of the word being > something like "bold and decisive" but looked no further (like in a > dictionary). The closest definition (OED) shows that the term "double-down" > may inadvertently be close to the truth: "to engage in risky behavior, > especially when one is already in a dangerous situation." > > Richard Yates
I hadn't thought of that, but you are right. You would probably enjoy the NPR show "A Way With Words" if you are not already a regular listener. In this case, remember that the people running the company are venture capitalists, so they really are gamblers -- more so than the average business person. To a gambler, doubling down may be a random, reckless reaction. But it also may be a calculated move reflecting confidence in the face of favorable odds. My guess is that the ownership got pretty frusterated losing over 2 years in an effort that may have greatly improved the product foundation, but doesn't really open up new revenue streams. In that context, I translate "doubling down" to mean "OK, we put the money into getting the product fixed. Now we have to charge forward adding new capability that will fix our business, giving us a lot more revenue." In this sense, "doubling down" means you have an expectation of either hitting big or going bust. _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
