If Only it were Me
“I could have built Hotmail”, “I could have built Facebook”, were 2 key quotes from Ben that stuck with me through the night. When Hotmail came out, I was only 12 (but am proud to already have my own personal webpage, from which the nickname “wongoes” was first coined because the website is “where the Wongs go”), so I couldn’t have had anything to do with it. However, with Facebook, I have actually a project proposal written in 2004 which suggested the development of a social network for Cheers Connect International, with the idea to classify people by the school that they belong to (ask me if you want to see evidence). While retrospectively thinking, there is no way that anything we built could have had the success that Facebook did (I mean, a network that has Harvard, then Stanford and MIT students in it, is an instant attraction by itself without any additional features), but “IF ONLY IT WERE ME“!
Notes – Key Propositions from the Microsoft Talk:
a. XBox Live Marketplace – Ian Tan
- with XNA Game Studios, you can be a game developer too
- MSFT generated ~US$1b from Xbox Live, so choose a big platform like this to develop on
- MDA is offering $50k for each project that has a good idea for a game on the platform
- From Ben > look out for the battle for “a foothold in your living room”
b. MSFT User Experience Technologies – Apurva Lawale
- Lots of cool technology Microsoft is working with (e.g. SmoothHD, Potosuru)
- (Wonder when would they finally incorporate Photosynth into an application though)
c. Microsoft Imagine Cup – Pratibha Kumar
- Dare to dream
- Imagine Cup is an excellent platform to showcase your ideas
Ben’s Wise Words (henceforth BWW):
- Understand the world around you – it’ll show you possibilities you can’t imagine before
- Technology is only a facilitator of problem solving, create real value and SELL
- CS3216 is a community, not just a class – LEVERAGE on each other’s skills
Any Big Problem is a Big Opportunity
Nobody will pay you to solve a non-problem. This came to mind once again when we discussed about understanding the world and seeing opportunities all around us. Psychologically, coming back to Singapore from the Valley has proved to be a huge temptation to shift back into mediocrity, but with the rapidly growing entrepreneurial ecosystem in Singapore, the high level of creative discussion and talented individuals in CS3216, (and the pizza and soft drinks of course), I’m happy once more. It’s great to be back in the Valley – SG Edition.
P.S. Photos for this week uploaded here on Facebook
While retrospectively thinking, there is no way that anything we built could have had the success that Facebook did (I mean, a network that has Harvard, then Stanford and MIT students in it, is an instant attraction by itself without any additional features), but “IF ONLY IT WERE ME“!
Nonsense. If you had built and tried, you might have made it.
The good thing about the internet is that it’s an important leveller that provides small countries like Singapore the chance to compete.
Of course, you’re feeling stupid like me for not building Facebook when you had a project proposal in 2004? But it’s not a big deal. In fact, it’s a good thing. It proves that you are able to come up with good ideas. Next time, you just have to be faster.