One helluva party

One helluva party
: PaidContent reports that $100 million has just been poured into social software companies. A few million, fine; let’s see whether this baby can fly. But $100 million already?

Where have all the VCs gone?

Long time passing.

Where have all the VCs gone?

Long time ago.

Where have all the VCs gone?

Into another bubble, every one.

When will they ever learn?

When will they ever learn>

: Tim Oren, a VC, responds and wonders why I see big media impact from weblogs but question the investment in social software. Well, I think the media impact of citizens’ media is more established by far than the prospects of social software, which is still a cool thing, not yet a proven thing. And so I question not the investment — Lord, no; we need backing for innovation — but only the scale and timing. And, besides, it was all just an opportunity for a cheap song parody punchline.

5 responses to “One helluva party”

  1. hugh macleod Avatar

    OK, could someone tell me- how does LinkedIn.com hope to solve the “I don’t like to spam my friends” problem? Enquiring minds want to know.

    Website design is all about managing the gap between what you want your visitors to do, and what they end up doing.

    Always assume the gap will be uncomfortably large, is my advice.

  2. scotty the body Avatar

    I’d be very interested to see how these break down in terms of where the money went? Something like Tribe.net might be worth a little investment, and something with a guaranteed revenue stream, like TypePad, could be bootstrapped with very little cash infusion in relative terms… but 100 MILLION?

  3. Steven I. Weiss Avatar

    Umm…what are those song lyrics from?

  4. Jeremy Avatar

    Still, at least these companies have potential to make money, when they start charging their subscribers. Many of the companies that got money in the internet boom really didn’t do anything to make money, period.
    However, I can’t imagine they will get many paid subscribers.

  5. Homer Robinson Avatar
    Homer Robinson

    One word. Pointcast. Enough said.