http://tech-sass.com

I've been reviewing the last 3 years of internet history, about 4000 stories in TechCrunch. Also techmeme. Some early observations. Often see 10 companies doing the same thing (blog search). Or 10 companies doing the same thing and soon Google will be doing it (ajax desktop/spreadsheet/word processor). Sometimes Google or Yahoo or Microsoft buys them, if they've been swift enough to garner a user base before the all-seeing-eye notices. More often they lose. Another theme: do something 8 other startups are doing, but target the enterprise. And yet every now and then something unique whirls out of the maelstrom, like twitter. More soon. Up to 2006, its getting interesting.

TechCrunch has a lot of talk about alternative browsers. I just don't see consumer acceptance of these. They can't even get Firefox or IE to work right, why on earth is someone going to adopt something obscure like the Photobucket Flock browser? The fun thing about reading stuff from 2006 is you can see if your predictions about what will make it are true.

You really have to get out a microscope on the fundamentals. How exactly will people hear about it. Why will they want to try it. Exactly which clicks and keystrokes are required for them to use it. Why will they keep using it. Why will they tell other people. And think about this in terms of, your parents using it.

One thing I don't have time for is what amounts to celebrity gossip about large companies and their executives. I guess it sells papers but its not all that relevant to innovation.