
The hacked Sony emails show how Silicon Valley dealmaking really works - prostoalex
http://qz.com/385742/the-hacked-sony-emails-show-how-silicon-valley-dealmaking-really-works/
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researcher88
Evan Spiegel is clearly smart but it's weird to hail him as some visionary
when someone else came up with the concept and someone else coded the app.

When an app takes off like that, is it even possible to fail running the
company? You get funding, all types of input from experts and all you need to
do is guide the rocket you are attached to.

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sparkzilla
I don't know anything about Spiegel, but have you ever tried to guide a rocket
you are attached to? I can't imagine it's all that easy.

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droidist2
It's kind of like riding a cat and trying to tell him where to go. He either
ends up stopping to clean his bollocks or he brings you into the litter box.

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sparkzilla
That's a big cat.

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forrestthewoods
I see nothing shocking or even interesting here. Yes, people who know each
other communicate with one another?

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presty
> In one thread last April, Lynton asks Costolo for a favor: Can he help get
> his wife’s news website’s Twitter handle, @LASchoolReport, verified? Costolo
> replies the same day: “I will have this looked at today and get it taken
> care of. Stay tuned!”

>

> Twitter’s policy for verifying accounts has frustrated many, so this isn’t
> an outrageous request. But it appears even a line directly to the top
> doesn’t always work. LA School Report, which covers the Los Angeles
> education universe in impressive detail, remains unverified.

rah!

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oelmekki
I have mixed feelings about this article.

In one hand, this is a good thing that journalists are investigating leaks.
This is a lot of data, and regular citizen can not take the time for analyzing
it all. That's quite what we expect from a journalist doing a proper job.

On the other hand, not just any data does yield newsworthy information. I know
it's sad to have spent that many time without finding anything of interest,
but after reading this article, I have a strange feeling of voyeurism without
having learn anything that would be deemed "of public interest".

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empressplay
It ain't what you know, it's who you know.

~~~
mickgardner
This is very normal and how most business works.

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pdkl95
It may be normal and a common practice, but none of that implies that such
practices should be seen as "normal" or used at all. Ethics cannot be derived
from _argumentum ad antiquitatem_ or _argumentum ad populum_.

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afarrell
The problem is that "normal" has two meanings:

1) common

2) according to social norms

Neither of which are actually the same as ethics.

I'll make a slightly stronger argument though. You should do business with
those you trust. There is no rigorous rational way to determine someone's
trustworthiness, so you must get to know them and see how they respond to
situations and ultimately rely on your intuition for making decisions.

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mml
A parochial old boys (and girls) club? You don't say?!

