Tag: EXPIRE-IMAGES2009-7-3

Inspiration for a good business idea can strike anytime, but only a lucky few will ever see their brainchild become a smashing success. Even fewer have the guts to hold on to their idea in the face of skepticism and adversity while resisting change from outside forces. We took a closer look at some of the most successful tech businesses, and the figures behind them, that have stayed true to ...

Linus Torvalds Fact: Most of us will never be able to write a code for a computer operating system. If we did, chances are we wouldn't give it away for free either, but that's exactly what Linus Torvalds did when he created Linux. The software for the operating system is free to use and anyone can modify and distribute it, although Torvalds has still made some dough from it. In a 2007 ...

Philip Rosedale The general public often wonders why people get so involved in MMORPGs like 'World of Warcraft,' so it's been hard for many to understand why so many people are attracted to a game/online world like Second Life. There are no monsters to fight in this virtual world; rather, people open "businesses," buy "land," chat with each other and have avatar sex, so it's still ...

Craig Newmark Whether you're looking for a desk or a no-strings-attached liason, Craigslist is the place to go. The site, founded in 1995 by Craig Newmark as a place to post community events, gets billions of page views a month, despite keeping a simple design that doesn't seem to have changed since Coolio ruled the charts. Even when it became clear that Newmark could make a fortune by ...

Jeff Bezos Remember when Amazon was mainly an online bookstore? If you do, then you're probably impressed at how well this Web site expanded into its current state. Unlike most companies during the dot-com boom, Amazon said it wouldn't be profitable for years and remained in business while other start-ups fizzled, finally boasting a $5 million profit in 2002. It's branched out in a number ...

Reed Hastings If you've ever had late fees pile up for an overdue movie or book, you were probably tempted to say "screw it, I'm keeping this and never going back." Unless you're Reed Hastings, you probably didn't take that sentiment and create a hugely successful online DVD rental service in 1998. By sticking to the idea that customers want to watch DVDs with as little hassle as possible ...