From the New York Times' Sunday Styles section Silicon Alley's resurgence, pegged to a tech Meetup where the crowd was discussing new web startups. Yep, Web 2.0 is hitting the East Coast, though apparently not all of the startups are as interesting as del.icio.us or, well, Meetup itself. Fortunately, people aren't afraid to criticize things in New York, and Scott reveals his prescience:
He began by asking his tech-savvy listeners simplistic questions about their knowledge of the Web."You're going to get booed off before you start," shouted Scott Heiferman, a founder of the social networking company Meetup and the organizer of the Tech Meetup.
Prescient words, it turned out. Mr. Robertson faced a barrage of withering questions and eventually slunk offstage to mocking laughter from the audience.
"I got ambushed," he said afterward. "I didn't know it was a 'Gong Show' thing."
Perhaps the tone, especially in this context, was a bit unkind. But that sense that, sometimes at least, ideas just suck is exactly what I was lamenting in my post a few weeks ago. "A complete unwillingness to be critical, an almost astoundingly low set of criteria for acceptance -- these aren't the traits that encourage a community or a culture to improve."
So, to everybody looking for the flip-to-Yahoo-cuz-we've-got-tags Next Big Thing, find a room with a tough crowd. Pitch your idea. See if you get booed. And if you're in the Bay Area? Start being more judicious with the applause.
At SXSW I overheard a partier say, "Whose party is this? Someone that got bought by Yahoo. They've got some sort of app that lets you know if other people would do you."
Having attended this meetup, as well as 3 others, he was the worst presenter I had seen at the meetings. His product was weak and his style was weak, and totally out of touch. If he'd listened instead of doing a sales demo he might have gotten something out of it. He got what he deserved.
Over all, the questions, comments, and criticism at the NY Tech Meetups is good. Come on back to the right coast to attend one.
Is it a culture of criticism, or just asking good questions?
The line might be as thin as being ready to answer things not on your script.