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For the context, that is, computing, the Internet, mobile, etc., there is a fundamental problem: We are awash in cheap processor cycles, main memory bytes, solid state and rotating disk bytes, infrastructure software, LAN and Internet bandwidth, client devices, sensors, transducers, etc. and for most of these are getting more rapidly.

The fundamental problem is what the heck to do of high value -- change the world size -- with these fantastic, cheap resources?

Open ocean sailing? Permitted trading without the many 'tolls' from long paths across land.

Personal cars? Killed off the horses and passenger trains and opened up suburbia.

Trucks? Killed off a lot of freight trains.

Electric lights? Got rid of lighting by burning candles, whale oil, kerosene, and coal gas.

Big stuff.

Computing's done a lot so far. The fundamental problem now is, now what?

The common assumption is that a big IT company must frequently 'reinvent' itself and 'create' its future. If so, then the big IT companies -- and related companies in 'media', cars, etc. -- just must successfully address significant parts of this fundamental problem.

So, the fundamental problem must be (no choice) shared by Yahoo, Google, Apple, Facebook, Samsung, Intel, AMD, Cisco, Juniper, Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, Amazon, newspapers, TV, movies, DARPA, essentially all information technology (IT) startups and venture capital, etc.

Efforts that successfully address significant parts are coming forward quite slowly, maybe only a few such efforts each 10 years. Not fast enough.

Big IT companies, I hate to say it, but a lot of you guys stand to go the way of buggy whips if you fail successfully to address significant parts of this fundamental problem. So, better set up a group, issue thinking caps, and get to work. Maybe the projects look 'blue sky', but at least some of them have to go all the way to revenue, earnings, and big changes in the world. Gotta be willing to stand there on the sea shore and think "open ocean sailing" and, then, make it real, make a lot of money, and change the world. Do that or you are in line for a buggy whip award.

In a musical analogy, a little, student's piano sonata won't cut it; think more like Beethoven's 'Ninth Symphony'.

One way -- not the only one -- is to look at some 'economics', i.e., how to take some work needed in the economy and do it better and/or cheaper.

Yahoo? So, you have a lot of stock market data. Now what? Envision an investor, see what else they need, and start to provide it. Yes, there should be a mobile tie in.

Yahoo? Yes, you have some headline news, maybe some of it is entertaining. What about information that is really valuable? Find some such categories and how to get the information out there.

Yahoo? There's lots of stuff on the Internet, and recently at AVC.COM Fred Wilson has been complaining that he doesn't know how to find blogs, videos, etc. he wants. A solution is needed.

With just the economic driver, we can go on and on. I didn't say that it was all easy, but neither was Beethoven's 'Ninth Symphony', and when he wrote it he had been stone deaf for years.

Get on it Marissa or be in line for a buggy whip award. And, f'get about picking colors or numbers of screen pixels. And, to think better, get some sleep.



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