[REBOL] Re: CURL -- similar idea to REBOL?
From: jseq:mediaone at: 8-Aug-2001 0:19
> I could see them having a high burn rate especially since
> recently they had received 40m in VC. Which almost seems
> unprecidented for this type of company. Its quite mind boggling actually.
>
It's not really unprecedented to bring in > $40M for a company shipping
enterprise applications.
Groove (~$50M) and Zaplet (~$50M) spring to mind.
Launching a platform that you want IT managers to bet their life on requires
a huge credibility and long track record. Both of the above examples (and
Curl) will be convincing big reference accounts to take a risk with them,
implementing consulting projects below or close to cost. I'm betting that
REBOL is doing exactly this with the unnamed silicon valley chip plant. So
the big upfront infusions ensure that they'll be around after they've burned
through their capital establishing credibility and platform maturity.
I would attribute the stop and go /Express development (for example) to
interruptions by paying clients. That's how it went at a previous employer
of mine -> using consulting revenue to drive the software dev. process is
pretty much the only way to avoid VCs, but it sure goes slow. Not taking
on VC money definitely has advantages, but at some point you have to commit
to becoming big enough for the conservative IT herd to bet on.
JS
