a la 360 by Gadi Shamia

I know that a bunch of more-important-than-me people are trying to figure that one out. In short, Google wants to pay $3B for Double Click. Microsoft (look who’s talking…) is saying that the deal will create “the largest database of user information the world has ever known” and warns that user privacy is at risk.

Personally, I think that Google, which has nothing to gain but everything to lose if it mistreats personal data, is a fairly safe choice when it comes to data handling and privacy. Compare Google to the 1000 web 2.0 companies that deal with sensitive data every day. You know the stats: 5 out of 100 start-ups will make it. What will happen with all the data they have gathered after operations are shut down? Let me guess, at least some of it will be kept by the founders or even ex-employees.

To illustrate the idea, I made up a web 2.0 startup. It is called: IILoveMyNeighbors.com Read more »

It is so interesting to see how much we use the internet for just about everything, and at the same time most of the mission-critical applications we use ignore it almost altogether. For an average business user, the internet is a great place for search, maps and private email, but when going back to his or her “real job”, the internet plays a minor role.

Want examples? Let’s take Outlook. Read more »

I know I am fashionably late in starting a blog… The world is blogging itself to death and I am sitting on the sidelines. I am happy to join the family and see if I can interest anyone but myself… time will tell. I plan on sharing what goes through my mind about technology, strategy and business in general. I promise to be short and easy to read, so my very busy friends will not suffer.

Happy reading!

PS- if you love what you read, pass it on, subscribe or comment.  I would love the dialog.

Gadi Shamia