DEPENDING ON HOW HIP TO THE WEB YOU ARE, YOU MAY OR may not have heard of Google. You've likely heard catch phrases like "odd Google," which is commonly used in Web logs and online diaries when visitor stats reveal a person reached a site by typing a laughable combination of words into the search engine. Or perhaps when utilizing Yahoo! to search the Web, you ended up with results "powered by Google."
Whichever way you look at it, the masses are catching on to the buzz, and an increasing number of users--from the 100-plus Internet companies that pay Google Inc. for its search services to journalists scouring the net for extremely specific information--are looking to the Mountain View, California, search engine company for the best results. The exact formula for attaining the best results is a well-guarded secret, but the reasons why Google has not only stayed afloat amid the dotcom dive and current recession, but avoided layoffs to boot are quite obvious.
"Never heard of it!" laughs Ray Sidney, a 32-year-old software engineer who's been employed by Google Inc. for three years in regard to that fateful spring of 2000 when so many Internet companies shut their doors. He believes Google's success in avoiding tragedy is an amalgam comprising an "incredible love of Google out there" and the fact that the company has actually entered the black.
If you ask co-founder and president Sergey Brin about the stunning success of the company he and Larry Page founded in 1998, he'll tell you it's the concept itself. Search is the No. 1-used application on the Web, second only to e-mail in all online activities. Last July, Jupiter Media Metrix reported Google ranked first among "free-standing" search engines like Alta Vista, Ask Jeeves and Go To, and ranks 15th in usage among all Web sites.
"If you look at the history of these companies, all the search engines decided they wanted to be Yahoo! around '96 and '97," says Brin, 28. "They were going to be portals and decided search was not really that important. Our perception was that search was very important, and the quality of results was important to people. That was a hypothesis that [turned] out to be true," says Brin. It was also the goal that brought Brin and co-founder and president Page, 29, together and prompted Internet big guns to back Google when it was still operating out of Brin and Page's Stanford dorm rooms.
DISK ARRAY
At first, Google started as a collaborative graduate-level research project focusing on link analysis in 1996. The long-term goal was to "retrieve relevant information from a massive set of data," not to start a business and become a hot topic in the media and in the technology world.
Deadpan, Brin admits to his and Page's lackadaisical approach to the project. "We were quite lazy about it," he says. "Stanford was pretty comfy. Being a graduate student there, you didn't really get paid well, but you got to spend time with a lot of interesting people. It's a pretty nice place to be, so we weren't really that motivated to run off and start a company."
But after a short time, they were having a lot of success retrieving information and realized the importance of what they were working on. "It got to the point where the easier way to provide it to the world was to start a company," says Brim They were no-frills when it came to equipment: Page's dorm room was their data center and Brin's was the office until they upgraded to a garage. Money, however, wasn't hard to come by.
Their privately owned company has received funding from the likes of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital. In fact, money has flowed since the very beginning. After Brin and Page decided to start the company, they put forth about $20,000 of their own capital to buy disks and computers. "We would've been happy to self-fund [the company], but it just happened to be easier to get a little investment, so we went to people we were close to," says Brin.
Google's initial angel investors included Ram Shriram, then-president of Junglee, which was eventually purchased by Amazon.com; professors from Stanford University; and Andy Bechtolsheirm, co-founder of Sun Microsystems, who tried a few queries using Google on a Palo Alto porch one morning and was impressed enough to write a $100,000 check on the spot. The reason Google incorporated when it did was because that check was made out to one Google Inc.
With the myriad of tell-all biographies detailing Internet mavens' rise to glory and movies depicting many a dotcommer's fall from grace, you'd think Google's ride would be a similar whirlwind. Not the case. "I feel bad about even being associated with those kinds of people," says Brin about cutthroat go-getters featured in documentaries like Startup.com. "I think there are a lot of ethical issues there. That company started with, 'There's an Internet boom--why don't we capitalize on it?' In Google's case, we were really interested in developing our search technology. It wasn't a get-rich-quick thing, and it still isn't. We're trying to build better and better products and a stronger and stronger company, but you don't see us running around trying to make a buck by IPO-ing or selling the company."
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Making Money With Your PC - electronic commerce, practice - Brief Article
Can you get rich quick on the lnternet? Sure you can, if you believe the flood of e-mail messages sent by "entrepreneurs" hoping you'll invest in their enterprises.
Don't believe them.
Those sending this growing torrent of comeons are almost always tricksters. They often lie from the get-go. "ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REQUESTED FROM ROBERT ALLEN," shouted one message I received recently. I never requested any information in the first place.
Typically, the appeal is to greed. "Earn $50,000 in only 90 days!! It really works!"
Sometimes these misguided opportunists go for your emotions, such as guilt. "Why haven't you contacted me?" pleaded one. But soon greed dominated the message, which described a program where you can "earn millions of dollars." In scam-speak, the message righteously proclaimed, "This is NOT a get-rich-quick scam."
Here's one that tried appealing to a noble ideal. "The GOLDEN rule," it began. What's the golden rule it advocated? Making money by pitching the same con to millions of others.
Sometimes the cluelessness boggles the mind. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY," I was cheerfully greeted by one come-on, trying to entice me to read the message. Only the chances of my birthday falling that week were one in 52 -- terrible odds.
"It' someone e-mails solicitations indiscriminately, delete them without reading," says Paul Edwards, lawyer and lecturer, co-author of the book Working From Home, and perhaps the country's leading expert on home-based businesses.
The reason is that unsolicited, untargeted bulk e-mail, called spam, has long been a violation of Internet norms. Spam uses Internet resources paid for not by the sender but by the recipient. This is why it's illegal to send junk faxes and why legislation is pending to restrict unsolicited commercial e-mail as well.
Bona fide businesses don't send spam, or if they do, it only takes one time for them to realize their mistake. Scam artists, on the other hand, send spam over and over. Don't bother asking them to take you off their list. They typically just use your e-mail response as verification that you have a working e-mail address, often selling your address to other spammers.
Unfortunately, some companies make the mistaken assumption that if you buy a product from them, they have created a "relationship" with you and are therefore entitled to e-mail you unsolicited ads. Smart companies know this angers too many customers.
The best way to build an e-mail list is to ask people if they're interested in receiving e-mail from you or to buy a list of people who have already agreed to receive commercial e-mail about a particular type of product.
Many spam come-ons are for illegal pyramid schemes or similarly structured but legal multilevel marketing (MLM) companies. The difference between the two is that MLM, sometimes called network marketing, involves legitimate products.
Even so, MLM participants, called "distributors," typically make money less by selling products than by enticing other people to sell products. Distributors earn commission on the sales of their recruits, and their recruits' recruits, and so on, with everybody scrambling to work their way up the pyramid where the big money supposedly is.
MLM has a bad reputation for good reason. The hype surrounding MLM is in direct proportion to its penchant for taking people for a fide. Most people wind up losing money on the cost of inventory, "educational" products and travel, says Edwards.
On the other hand, you can indeed use your personal computer and the Internet to help you make money from home, either full time or on the side, and many people do. Various statistics indicate that about one-third of Americans have a home office and that about one-quarter of these offices are used to support home-business activities.
Some do succeed at MLM, and if you want to explore it as a money-making opportunity, recommendations from friends or colleagues are best, says Edwards. Find a company selling products you find useful. Check out the company with the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau.
But your best bets for making money with the help of your PC are more mainstream pursuits, such as Web site creation, computer consulting, computer repair and technical writing, says Edwards, who provides more tips on his Web site. Another good site, which offers particularly good advice about technology for those working in either home or small offices, is Smalloffice.com .You may not get rich quick doing it the right way, but you won't lose your shirt either.
Reid Goldsborough is a syndicated columnist and author of the book Straight Talk About the Information Superhighway. He can be reached at reidgold@netaxs.com or http://members.home.net/reidgold.
Don't believe them.
Those sending this growing torrent of comeons are almost always tricksters. They often lie from the get-go. "ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REQUESTED FROM ROBERT ALLEN," shouted one message I received recently. I never requested any information in the first place.
Typically, the appeal is to greed. "Earn $50,000 in only 90 days!! It really works!"
Sometimes these misguided opportunists go for your emotions, such as guilt. "Why haven't you contacted me?" pleaded one. But soon greed dominated the message, which described a program where you can "earn millions of dollars." In scam-speak, the message righteously proclaimed, "This is NOT a get-rich-quick scam."
Here's one that tried appealing to a noble ideal. "The GOLDEN rule," it began. What's the golden rule it advocated? Making money by pitching the same con to millions of others.
Sometimes the cluelessness boggles the mind. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY," I was cheerfully greeted by one come-on, trying to entice me to read the message. Only the chances of my birthday falling that week were one in 52 -- terrible odds.
"It' someone e-mails solicitations indiscriminately, delete them without reading," says Paul Edwards, lawyer and lecturer, co-author of the book Working From Home, and perhaps the country's leading expert on home-based businesses.
The reason is that unsolicited, untargeted bulk e-mail, called spam, has long been a violation of Internet norms. Spam uses Internet resources paid for not by the sender but by the recipient. This is why it's illegal to send junk faxes and why legislation is pending to restrict unsolicited commercial e-mail as well.
Bona fide businesses don't send spam, or if they do, it only takes one time for them to realize their mistake. Scam artists, on the other hand, send spam over and over. Don't bother asking them to take you off their list. They typically just use your e-mail response as verification that you have a working e-mail address, often selling your address to other spammers.
Unfortunately, some companies make the mistaken assumption that if you buy a product from them, they have created a "relationship" with you and are therefore entitled to e-mail you unsolicited ads. Smart companies know this angers too many customers.
The best way to build an e-mail list is to ask people if they're interested in receiving e-mail from you or to buy a list of people who have already agreed to receive commercial e-mail about a particular type of product.
Many spam come-ons are for illegal pyramid schemes or similarly structured but legal multilevel marketing (MLM) companies. The difference between the two is that MLM, sometimes called network marketing, involves legitimate products.
Even so, MLM participants, called "distributors," typically make money less by selling products than by enticing other people to sell products. Distributors earn commission on the sales of their recruits, and their recruits' recruits, and so on, with everybody scrambling to work their way up the pyramid where the big money supposedly is.
MLM has a bad reputation for good reason. The hype surrounding MLM is in direct proportion to its penchant for taking people for a fide. Most people wind up losing money on the cost of inventory, "educational" products and travel, says Edwards.
On the other hand, you can indeed use your personal computer and the Internet to help you make money from home, either full time or on the side, and many people do. Various statistics indicate that about one-third of Americans have a home office and that about one-quarter of these offices are used to support home-business activities.
Some do succeed at MLM, and if you want to explore it as a money-making opportunity, recommendations from friends or colleagues are best, says Edwards. Find a company selling products you find useful. Check out the company with the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau.
But your best bets for making money with the help of your PC are more mainstream pursuits, such as Web site creation, computer consulting, computer repair and technical writing, says Edwards, who provides more tips on his Web site
Reid Goldsborough is a syndicated columnist and author of the book Straight Talk About the Information Superhighway. He can be reached at reidgold@netaxs.com or http://members.home.net/reidgold.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Way of the web: here is a list of great online resources to help you on your way to selling your art!
FINE PRINT IMAGING
www.fineprintimaging.com
The difference between reproducing your art work on your home printer or at your local copy center and having it professionally reproduced can determine if you will be considered an "artist" or a "crafter" by prospective venues and customers. This company produces archival giclee reproductions of painted, collage or photographic art. An added benefit, and what originally brought me to this site, is that they have a nice resource page--a listing of artist organizations, along with an informative newsletter with tips on marketing yourself and your art.
STARVING ARTISTS LAW
www.starvingartistslaw.com
This Web site does a good job of trying to help you decipher the legal ins and outs of selling your art. I suggest you start here to get the answers to the ever-emerging copyright discussions that occur in every artist group. You find things you thought were true are not!
ARTISANS MARKET, INC.
www.ArtisansMarket.com
Like most artists, Virginia Curry just wanted to create. She came up with the idea for a fully functional, e-commerce marketplace where many artists can sell handcrafted items without having to devote excessive time, energy and money to go it alone. A per-month membership fee and a 20-percent commission on sales gives members the benefit of their own URL (Web address) at ArtisansMarket.com, regular accounting reports, all online and print marketing materials, customer and artist support, and cash membership commissions for referrals of other artists. Members make their own pricing decisions and ArtisansMarket.com is responsible for all hosting and Web site maintenance issues.
CRAFT COST CALCULATOR
http://home.iximd.com/~carousel/CraftCalc1pt6.htm
Figuring out how to price your work for sale is one of the two most talked about topics in artist groups--copyright is the other. This Web page gives you access to a nifty cost calculator that takes all the math out of determining how much you should sell an item for. You do have to know the cost of the materials you use to produce a piece, and determine what your time is worth (labor), but after that, it's all calculated for you.
CRAFTLISTER.COM
www.craftlister.com
After registering for free, this Web site will keep you updated on art and craft shows in your area or throughout the country. It's a great resource for someone looking for shows to participate in, as well as those of us who love to shop for handcrafted items and other works of art.
YOUR CRAFT BUSINESS.COM
www.yourcraftbusiness.com
Myra Anson Nicholas is a mixed-media artist who has put together a comprehensive Web site for those who are looking for answers on how to turn your hobby into a business. Included are the basics (budgeting, pricing, record keeping), selling retail (picking the right show, displays), selling wholesale (gift and wholesale shows, how to handle returns), making your craft (quality control, photography, storage), managing the creative process (sources of inspiration, discovering trends), managing your craft business (legal concerns, cash flow and finances, licensing, and business insurance) and a resource page with links to places to know about.
www.fineprintimaging.com
The difference between reproducing your art work on your home printer or at your local copy center and having it professionally reproduced can determine if you will be considered an "artist" or a "crafter" by prospective venues and customers. This company produces archival giclee reproductions of painted, collage or photographic art. An added benefit, and what originally brought me to this site, is that they have a nice resource page--a listing of artist organizations, along with an informative newsletter with tips on marketing yourself and your art.
STARVING ARTISTS LAW
www.starvingartistslaw.com
This Web site does a good job of trying to help you decipher the legal ins and outs of selling your art. I suggest you start here to get the answers to the ever-emerging copyright discussions that occur in every artist group. You find things you thought were true are not!
ARTISANS MARKET, INC.
www.ArtisansMarket.com
Like most artists, Virginia Curry just wanted to create. She came up with the idea for a fully functional, e-commerce marketplace where many artists can sell handcrafted items without having to devote excessive time, energy and money to go it alone. A per-month membership fee and a 20-percent commission on sales gives members the benefit of their own URL (Web address) at ArtisansMarket.com, regular accounting reports, all online and print marketing materials, customer and artist support, and cash membership commissions for referrals of other artists. Members make their own pricing decisions and ArtisansMarket.com is responsible for all hosting and Web site maintenance issues.
CRAFT COST CALCULATOR
http://home.iximd.com/~carousel/CraftCalc1pt6.htm
Figuring out how to price your work for sale is one of the two most talked about topics in artist groups--copyright is the other. This Web page gives you access to a nifty cost calculator that takes all the math out of determining how much you should sell an item for. You do have to know the cost of the materials you use to produce a piece, and determine what your time is worth (labor), but after that, it's all calculated for you.
CRAFTLISTER.COM
www.craftlister.com
After registering for free, this Web site will keep you updated on art and craft shows in your area or throughout the country. It's a great resource for someone looking for shows to participate in, as well as those of us who love to shop for handcrafted items and other works of art.
YOUR CRAFT BUSINESS.COM
www.yourcraftbusiness.com
Myra Anson Nicholas is a mixed-media artist who has put together a comprehensive Web site for those who are looking for answers on how to turn your hobby into a business. Included are the basics (budgeting, pricing, record keeping), selling retail (picking the right show, displays), selling wholesale (gift and wholesale shows, how to handle returns), making your craft (quality control, photography, storage), managing the creative process (sources of inspiration, discovering trends), managing your craft business (legal concerns, cash flow and finances, licensing, and business insurance) and a resource page with links to places to know about.
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