"Maybe one of the reasons its hard to replicate the valley, is that
its about being sort of arrogant (is that the right word)."
In my experience there are a couple kinds of of people that I can
imagine Australians considering to be "valley arrogant". There are
the people who think they are better than you. They talk down to you,
and are generally wankers. These people, in general, have never
accomplished anything in their lives so they try to hide that behind a
snooty attitude and shiny cars.
I don't think those are the people you're talking about though.
The other group are misanthropes who've figured something out /
invented something and try to show / explain / convince others to use
their method / idea / product / service. In order to do that they
have to get in front of people and talk about the thing. They have to
be able to speak intelligently about the subject, and open themselves
up to ridicule. Every geek I've ever met who has to do this doesn't
like the act of doing it, but likes to get their message out.
The best local example I can think of is Dmitry ( http://
raphaeljs.com/ ). I don't know him personally, but I've seen him speak
at a couple events, and I can't imagine presentations are his favorite
thing to do. But he is proud of what he has made, and wants people to
enjoy and use his work. While it can be taken as arrogant ("who does
he think he is?", "he thinks he knows so much about javascript?") I
don't think that is his intent.
This email is another example I suppose. Look at me Mr. I-am-from-the-
silicon-valley, but my intention is to try my best to help the Silicon
Beach become wicked cool, and I only have what I have at my disposal
to do that.
I think letting people make things they can be proud of - things they
made or invented themselves is what cultivates that attitude ...
er ... the good arrogant not the bad one.
Anyway, blah be da blah blah.
(The fact that Australia, in a lot of respects, is the western world's
gateway to China really puts it in an incredible position with a lot
of potential opportunities IMHO.)
Rob Rohan
Daemon Internet Consultants
Adobe Solutions Partner
http://www.daemon.com.au/
On Mar 19, 2009, at 5:29 PM, mmp1 wrote:
>
> Second Rob's comments.
>
> Its a state of mind. It is something that is not obvious until you
> experience it. I found it was just not in the oz mind set (not making
> money, but creating cool stuff because you can). There is also this
> prevailing thing - you are in the software / tech industry, not an
> industry using tech. ie. you don't have to wait for someone to build
> it for you. you can build it.
>
> its not about being a business person that then hires geeks. Its
> about geeks, becoming business people.
>
> And part of it is dreaming big (not saying don't start small).
>
> And its the ability to find other people like you.
>
> an eco system of people that want to change the world.
>
> and Elias is right, you don't notice gov. that much at all. they have
> r&d tax breaks etc, but thats on the side.
>
> Maybe one of the reasons its hard to replicate the valley, is that its
> about being sort of arrogant (is that the right word). Not in a bad
> way (hold back on the tall poppy everyone hates the US comments), but
> arrogant enough to believe that you can contribute. Maybe this
> arrogance allows people to then take on the risk, or to say - i go to
> work to create stuff, not to wear a suite.
>
> Or is it just having access to Fry's ?
>
> Elias, hope your having a blast man.
>
>
> On Mar 19, 4:24 pm, Rob Rohan <[email protected]> wrote:
>> (lurker / ramble alert)
>>
>> I've only ever worked for silicon valley startups (~10 years), and
>> now
>> I live in Oz.
>>
>> The community you are talking about comes from the desire to create
>> cool stuff, and impress other geeks. Homebrew computer club,
>> Hackers,
>> etc. It doesn't come from the want or pursuit of money. Getting VC
>> money simply allows you to pursue crazy odd ball ideas that are "not
>> feasible", and best VCs are geeks that are impressed by geeky
>> stuff...
>> round and round and round.
>>
>> Last time I checked, no government was very geeky or willing to go
>> out
>> on a limb and try out crazy ideas like social media, ajax, or a touch
>> screen phone. I guess it depends on who is in charge of the money.
>>
>> If you gave big tax breaks to local, rich geeks - I think it would
>> work itself out :)
>>
>> (by the way, I think Sydney has the potential to do some really cool
>> stuff, and it has a great tech energy about it.)
>>
>> $AUD0.05
>>
>> Rob Rohan
>> Daemon Internet Consultants
>> Adobe Solutions Partnerhttp://www.daemon.com.au/
>>
>> On Mar 19, 2009, at 3:42 PM, Elias Bizannes wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>> So I am in the US now. Doing a lot of talking and listening.
>>
>>> I've now realised what makes silicon valley what it is, and it was
>>> explained to me from the same guy that writes the venturehacks blog
>>> and other genuinely succesful entrepreners (as in, exits in the tens
>>> and hundreds of millions - repetedly). The ones you don't know about
>>> as they shy from the limelight but run this place behind the scenes.
>>
>>> Government has nothing to do with it, culture does. But at the same
>>> time, you would be foolish to think government doesn't influence
>>> as it
>>> influences culture and more. Look into your history books from every
>>> major war on record: the persian wars to the French/american
>>> independence wars
>>> - it was because of high tax!
>>
>>> I'll debrief with my reflections when I get back to Australia in mid
>>> April, but how do you build a culture? By changing expectations,
>>> building community, and having robust dialogue. If there is anything
>>> we can copy to drive the industry forward, it's the collaboration
>>> that
>>> occurs at this place.
>>
>>> So keep up the discussions - but seriously chill. Theres no value
>>> when
>>> you make attacks, and opting out of the community is a loss for
>>> you as
>>> it is for everyone else.
>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On 18/03/2009, at 2:44 PM, Niki Scevak <[email protected]>
>>> wrote:
>>
>>>> Amen Mike! +1 to everything you have said.
>>
>>>> Having moved back from the US to Sydney and still being on similar
>>>> entrepreneurial lists the biggest difference I can see about
>>>> Australia
>>>> is the obsession with the Government doing something to help them.
>>>> The
>>>> US has exactly the opposite attitude: anything the Government
>>>> does is
>>>> counted as a surprising bonus. The US tax and corporate laws are
>>>> 10x
>>>> as complex as they need to be. But no one cares about the
>>>> government
>>>> because of one simple reason: they have shit all to do with your
>>>> success.
>>
>>>> The fact that Australian venture firms need to take government
>>>> money
>>>> (and they have for a while) is a sad indication of their track
>>>> record
>>>> and not something that will make a shit of difference in 'saving
>>>> tech
>>>> innovators'.
>>
>>>> On Mar 18, 9:48 pm, Mike Nicholls <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>> OK accidentally hit send too early, back again.
>>
>>>>> 4. Im tired of the time wasting bullshit regarding an Investment
>>>>> Fund
>>>>> raising $500 per person. Does anyone aside from me realise how
>>>>> crazy this
>>>>> idea is? The mechanics, the legals, the wasted energy, it would be
>>>>> like the
>>>>> politburo or some wacky version of socialism. The legals would
>>>>> consume the
>>>>> fund within two weeks.
>>>>> 5. Anyone also tired of relentless arguments about Code Ninjas and
>>>>> how
>>>>> programmers would feel about being called a Ninja?
>>
>>>>> Numerous times in the last 3 months I have started to write
>>>>> replies
>>>>> to some
>>>>> of the crazy topics that are on this list and have stopped because
>>>>> even
>>>>> discussing them is a waste of time.
>>
>>>>> I would like to suggest a refinement of the charter for this list.
>>
>>>>> 1. No sarcastic topics about your view of the world or the
>>>>> Government or
>>>>> Venture Capitalists, no one cares.
>>>>> 2. Ask questions or advice - Please, this is what is valuable
>>>>> about the
>>>>> group
>>>>> 3. Lets try to keep a focus on business, not on politics
>>>>> 4. Lets focus on how we can improve your business, lets get into
>>>>> specifics about what actionable steps we can take to make things
>>>>> better for
>>>>> you personally, I and others on the list are happy to help with
>>>>> our
>>>>> experiences but I am so over the socialist sarcastic winging
>>>>> attitude on
>>>>> this list.
>>
>>>>> I hope you will excuse this rant, but it has been coming for
>>>>> months.
>>
>>>>> Thanks
>>
>>>>> Mike Nicholls
>>
>>>>> On Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 9:25 PM, Mike Nicholls
>>>>> <[email protected]>wrote:
>>
>>>>>> OK that's it. I am fucking over it. You would be socialist
>>>>>> entrepreneurs, I
>>>>>> feel like I am talking to my kids but here goes.
>>
>>>>>> 1. I am sick of the bitching on this list about what every one
>>>>>> Government should do
>>>>>> 2. The world, the Government (ours or the US), Venture
>>>>>> Capitalists or
>>>>>> anyone else doesn't owe you a living or funding or a scheme to
>>>>>> make your
>>>>>> life easier
>>>>>> 3. Funding won't change your world, 95% of you are not suitable
>>>>>> for
>>>>>> professional investors, even on the remote chance you got
>>>>>> funding, I promise
>>>>>> you will for the most part regret the experience.
>>>>>> 4.
>>
>>>>>> On Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 9:08 PM, Geoff McQueen - Hiive Systems <
>>>>>> [email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>>>>> Wow. That's great. Now if only we were a car industry producing
>>>>>>> vehicles
>>>>>>> people don't want to buy in a market too small to achieve
>>>>>>> economies of scale
>>>>>>> owned by parent companies who'll repatriate $AU from taxpayers
>>>>>>> back to their
>>>>>>> own struggling head offices, we might actually have an industry
>>>>>>> strategy and
>>>>>>> some decent funding approaching the billions the car industry
>>>>>>> got
>>>>>>> handed out
>>>>>>> AFTER the productivity commission reported that it was a
>>>>>>> shocking
>>>>>>> waste.
>>
>>>>>>> With a different perspective and some actual leadership ,
>>>>>>> perhaps
>>>>>>> we could
>>>>>>> transition our economy ahead of the information revolution we're
>>>>>>> in the
>>>>>>> middle of...
>>
>>>>>>> The more I hear about how this so-called Innovation department
>>>>>>> works, the
>>>>>>> more concerned I get for our industry which represents one of
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> few bright
>>>>>>> opportunities for our country.
>>
>>>>>>> If you haven't already seen it, read
>>>>>>> http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/opinion/perspectives/backwards-
>>>>>>> ...
>>>>>>> .
>>
>>>>>>> Geoff
>>
>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>> From: [email protected] [mailto:
>>>>>>> [email protected]] On Behalf Of bengrubb
>>>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, 18 March 2009 2:30 PM
>>>>>>> To: Silicon Beach Australia
>>>>>>> Subject: [SiliconBeach] Govt pledges $83M to save tech
>>>>>>> innovators
>>
>>>>>>> THE Rudd government will inject up to $83 million into the local
>>>>>>> venture capital pipeline as a stop gap measure to try and
>>>>>>> prevent
>>>>>>> promising tech companies going under due to the global financial
>>>>>>> crisis.
>>
>>>>>>> http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,,25205179-5013040,00.html
>>>>>>> ...
> >
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