When Tech Is Not Tech

Agustus 04, 2017

Today , peradventure 10% of what the media calls "tech stocks" are genuinely tech.
The balance is but shit nosotros did earlier , right away done on your phone.

When I used to wing out to Silicon Valley dorsum inwards the 1990's as well as 2000's , in that location were tech companies out in that location that genuinely were tech.  They made semiconductor devices , difficult drives , retention chips , or at to the lowest degree some form of software or operating system.   They hired Engineers amongst a majuscule "E" as well as all was correct amongst the world.

Of course of educational activity , hardware as well as fifty-fifty software give-up the ghost a commodity , as well as the existent tech companies fled for Austin , Tuscon , Boulder , as well as other places where rents were low.   Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of component infinite inwards Silicon Valley went vacant - as well as a novel generation of companies moved in.

The adjacent generation of "tech" wasn't genuinely tech.  Oh , certain , Apple is even therefore in that location , as well as a few other real tech companies.  But lately , it seems that Silicon Valley is less nearly silicon as well as to a greater extent than nearly shitty "business plans" that amount to piddling to a greater extent than than pitching ideas at people , selling a concept , doing an IPO , as well as selling out as well as cashing inwards , earlier it all falls apart.

And most of these "tech" companies are but ideas that have been roughly forever , but are right away on the Internet as well as on your smart phone.   Back during the kickoff "dot com" meltdown , one of the poster children for this nonsense was "Pets.com" which made a big splash , bought millions inwards Superbowl ads , and..... sold petfood from a website.  Within a twelvemonth of going populace , it went broke.  It symbolized the nonsense of the "dot com" era - but taking a brick-and-mortar store as well as putting it online is non "technology" - it is but a way of doing concern these days.

Today , nosotros meet the same nonsense over again as well as again.   Uber is a "tech company" but its existent concern is but an unregulated taxi service , which they convey rammed downwardly the throats of municipalities across the globe , although some are fighting dorsum , as well as to a greater extent than volition create therefore inwards the future.  Oh , certain , you lot tin nation it is an "app" as well as all that , but it is akin to maxim McDonald's is a "tech" companionship because you lot tin guild your Egg McMuffin on a kiosk now.   Give me a interruption , today!

And it doesn't halt there.   Blue Apron is a "tech" companionship because they deliver food.  Amazon Fresh is a "tech" companionship because , good , Amazon is "tech" - selling shit online is "technology" when inwards reality it is just the ordinary way of doing commerce today.   It is akin to maxim that Pepsodent was a television set companionship because they advertised on television dorsum inwards the early on days of TeeVee.

Very piddling of what the media hypes every bit "tech" is genuinely tech , or genuinely new.   Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 reader reminds me that Peapod has been delivering nutrient to your door since 1989 - long earlier Amazon got into the gig.  So-called "black cars" predated Uber as well as Lyft past times decades - appearing inwards New York City inwards the 1980's.    Park Model.   Kids today remember they invented "Micro-brews" when the tendency goes good dorsum into the 1970's.   And no , it isn't ironic to drinkable Pabst Blue Ribbon - I was shoplifting that shit before you lot were born.

I estimate every generation has to "discover" things as well as frequently these are things previous generations already discovered , such every bit how to clothing weirdly to disturb your parents , obnoxious music that annoys everyone , as well as of course of educational activity , sex.   Each generation is convinced they invented sex.  And politics.

And that's OK , I guess.  It is human nature.  But it ain't "tech" therefore let's halt calling it that.   The Internet has been roughly long plenty that doing something online or on your phone doesn't arrive applied scientific discipline - something fifty-fifty the Patent Office as well as the Courts convey begun to recognize.

So what's the indicate of this?   Well , when the fiscal pages commence hyping some "tech" companionship whose concern innovation is genuinely nix to a greater extent than than brick-and-mortar concern on an "app" , therefore it ain't tech.  And these types of companies brand a big splash , give-up the ghost populace , sell stock inwards an IPO , as well as the "venture capitalists" cash out as well as brand a lot of coin - as well as you lot lose a lot.  So when the adjacent Pets.com comes along , comport inwards heed that the "little people" who bought that stock lost their shirt , but the insiders who sold their stock to the piddling people made out similar bandits.

Not every tech IPO is genuinely a tech stock.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 unproblematic concern , run on the Internet , tin survive copied past times anyone , as Groupon constitute out the difficult way.   Don't larn sucked inwards past times the hype.

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