STEAL THIS BUSINESS PLAN

“These are businesses I would be looking at starting and software I would look at writing if I were so inclined. Instead, I decided to throw them out — free for all.”

Mark Cuban, on giving away the ideas he’s too lazy to implement, News.com, 18 October 2004

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!

“They’re the gold standard in e-commerce, and for us to beat them is to beat Brazil in the World Cup.”

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, on facing competition from Amazon.com in the DVD rental market, Seattle Times, 16 October 2004

THE NETWORK IS THE DISPUTER

“Bill and Greg are kind of stalling, not in a negative sense, but in the sense that they want to make sure they got it all right.”

Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy, reporting on the progress his CTO and Microsoft chairman Bill Gates integrating their companies’ products, News.com, 18 October 2004

BITING THE STANDARD THAT FEEDS YOU

“I guess my overall message is, let’s be kind to RSS; don’t try to exploit it.”

Blogger Dave Winer, who still believes he’s the only one allowed to exploit a newsfeed format he helped popularize, Wired News, 15 October 2004

THE GIFT OF GRAB

“No administration has ever mounted such a comprehensive approach to defending America’s gift to the world — our creativity.”

RIAA president Mitch Bainwol, on Justice Department recommendations that file sharers do hard time, 14 October 2004