Kevin Burton trades early access to beta for server cash

Kevin Burton is one of those entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley that isn’t yet rich. He’s starting a new company and needs a little bit of cash for more servers. So, he came up with a new idea: give early access to his beta to people who donate $20 to buy some servers. Hey, Kevin, would you go with Microsoft servers if I got you a bigger donation? He picked up a few bucks last night.

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Robert Scoble

As Startup Liaison for Rackspace, the Open Cloud Computing Company, Scoble travels the world looking for what's happening on the bleeding edge of technology for Rackspace's startup program. He's interviewed thousands of executives and technology innovators and reports what he learns in books ("The Age of Context," a book coauthored with Forbes author Shel Israel, has been released at http://amzn.to/AgeOfContext ), YouTube, and many social media sites where he's followed by millions of people. Best place to watch me is on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/RobertScoble

Comments

  1. Sure if you’re donating costs to cover the cost of Microsoft licenses, and the extra hardware overhead that comes with having to run a shitty, slow, and bug riddled OS like Windows Server 2003.

    Remember that time Hotmail switched from Solaris and FreeBSD, remember how much that cost Microsoft?

  2. Sure if you’re donating costs to cover the cost of Microsoft licenses, and the extra hardware overhead that comes with having to run a shitty, slow, and bug riddled OS like Windows Server 2003.

    Remember that time Hotmail switched from Solaris and FreeBSD, remember how much that cost Microsoft?

  3. “shitty, slow, and bug riddled OS like Windows Server 2003.”
    HAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA
    I’ve used dozens of operating systems in my life, Win2k3 is one of the best for what it does.

  4. “shitty, slow, and bug riddled OS like Windows Server 2003.”
    HAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA
    I’ve used dozens of operating systems in my life, Win2k3 is one of the best for what it does.

  5. “shitty, slow, and bug riddled OS like Windows Server 2003.”
    Let me guess… slashdot zealot? - go and hug tux;)
    Win2003 is one of the best OSs I have ever used.

  6. “shitty, slow, and bug riddled OS like Windows Server 2003.”
    Let me guess… slashdot zealot? - go and hug tux;)
    Win2003 is one of the best OSs I have ever used.

  7. If I don’t like bug riddled operating systems, why would you think I would be a Linux advocate?

  8. If I don’t like bug riddled operating systems, why would you think I would be a Linux advocate?

  9. Running a web-based business on a microsoft infrastructure is one of the stupidest things I can imagine doing, particularly for a startup whose funds are limited. MS and Dell can afford to throw millions of dollars worth of chewing gum and bailing wire at the problem, but unless they’re going to buy you out, don’t even consider MS-based servers.

    Someday, there should be a book about the Hotmail debacle.

  10. Running a web-based business on a microsoft infrastructure is one of the stupidest things I can imagine doing, particularly for a startup whose funds are limited. MS and Dell can afford to throw millions of dollars worth of chewing gum and bailing wire at the problem, but unless they’re going to buy you out, don’t even consider MS-based servers.

    Someday, there should be a book about the Hotmail debacle.

  11. Not just Hotmail….R&D sheer waste, Web TV (all versions), MSN, Wi-Fi hardware, ERP (Navision and Great Plains), Intuit debacle, Software Assurance, Internet (crucify Brad Silverberg era), Internet Explorer, ActiMates, Security, MSNBC and other ill-fated content ventures (Slate, Mungo Park, Sidewalk), Death to Java (kill Ben Slivka era), Mobile/SmartPhone, eBooks, Longhorn/Vista, Interactive TV/Cable Ventures, SQL Server debacles and delays, Sendo/Burst/Real/Sun and other forever forthcoming lawsuits, Netscape/DOJ, Xbox, PMC, Smart Display, WinPad/Windows for Pen Computing/Tablet PC, Xbox Power Cord Replacement issue, Gates legendary temper-tantrums and Ballmer’s “chair throwing”, SPOT…

    The ‘magnum opus’ history of Microsoft debacles, if ever written, would give Edward Gibbon a run for his money (and then some). 😉

  12. Not just Hotmail….R&D sheer waste, Web TV (all versions), MSN, Wi-Fi hardware, ERP (Navision and Great Plains), Intuit debacle, Software Assurance, Internet (crucify Brad Silverberg era), Internet Explorer, ActiMates, Security, MSNBC and other ill-fated content ventures (Slate, Mungo Park, Sidewalk), Death to Java (kill Ben Slivka era), Mobile/SmartPhone, eBooks, Longhorn/Vista, Interactive TV/Cable Ventures, SQL Server debacles and delays, Sendo/Burst/Real/Sun and other forever forthcoming lawsuits, Netscape/DOJ, Xbox, PMC, Smart Display, WinPad/Windows for Pen Computing/Tablet PC, Xbox Power Cord Replacement issue, Gates legendary temper-tantrums and Ballmer’s “chair throwing”, SPOT…

    The ‘magnum opus’ history of Microsoft debacles, if ever written, would give Edward Gibbon a run for his money (and then some). 😉

  13. Well for the RIGHT amount of free hardware I’d certainly consider running Windows. Ha. Though I bet that offer won’t be made.. Guess I don’t have to sweat this decision :)

    BTW.. We do use a Linux based cluster…

    Kevin

  14. Well for the RIGHT amount of free hardware I’d certainly consider running Windows. Ha. Though I bet that offer won’t be made.. Guess I don’t have to sweat this decision :)

    BTW.. We do use a Linux based cluster…

    Kevin