[clug] Richard Stallmans presentation

Martin Pool mbp at sourcefrog.net
Mon Jan 9 11:37:48 GMT 2006


On Mon, 2006-01-09 at 10:36 +0000, Richard wrote:

> For all of Google's "do no evil" promises, they're still a for-profit 
> enterprise, and until a not-for-profit enterprise attempts this sort of 
> thing, then it can essentially be defined as a niche/flash-in-the-pan.

archive.org, which is a non-profit, also hosts media files.  So is
hosting of large files now not a flash in the pan?

What a strange criteria for pan-flashes!  I don't recall any non-profits
running intercontinental cables, for example, but they seem to be still 
around after ~100 years.

> Google (or another for-profit provider) has to make back its costs from 
> somewhere, and advertising (still the money spinner for non-retail web 
> sites) is low margin 

Low margin does not necessarily mean low-profit.

> (and I don't see too many other ways to make money 
> from such a service). 

> The only reason Google can afford this sort of experiment is that it's 
> still riding a dotcom valuation.

Why?  They're profitable (last I heard) so can presumably afford to at
least dip their googly toes in video.  If they had money in the bank and
an established profitable business, but for some reason a low share
price, they'd still be able to afford it.

The share price is probably partially based on a belief they will
successfully expand into new areas.
 
-- 
Martin

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