Yahoo! is seriously underrated. While Google steals the media thunder, Yahoo keeps plugging away, making really smart acquisitions along the way. Earlier this year Yahoo acquired my favorite photo-sharing site, Flickr. They acquired the smart Upcoming.org. And now Yahoo has acquired del.icio.us
I’ve been a big fan of Flickr since they launched, but only recently discovered the virtues of del.icio.us. This online bookmark service with tagging is awesome. It not only gives me a terrific way to keep track of all my favorite websites and articles I run across, but it adds social context to the mix. I can view other peoples favorites, or just browse what’s hot. In what seems to be true Web 2.0 form, it’s all tag-based, and you can browse through a tag cloud.
Yahoo has clearly become the one to watch in the Web 2.0 world.
Underrated ? By who ?!!
I’m still puzzled at the “hype” around Google (i.e. GoogleTalk STILL the “top” news item at http://www.bigblueball.com !?).
Anyway, I too have recently (thanx 2 u Jeff!) got started on del.icio.us – and agree it’s a great system – (A) for tag searching, (B) for portability [i.e. web-based], and (C) sharing with others.
Underrated ? By who ?!!
I’m still puzzled at the “hype” around Google (i.e. GoogleTalk STILL the “top” news item at http://www.bigblueball.com !?).
Anyway, I too have recently (thanx 2 u Jeff!) got started on del.icio.us – and agree it’s a great system – (A) for tag searching, (B) for portability [i.e. web-based], and (C) sharing with others.
I don’t think it’s any big mystery why Google gets so much attention. They are newer and younger than Yahoo in a time when newer = better. Their stock has soared to over $400. And they have a lot of smart people working for them. It’s natural to expect a lot from them.
Yahoo, on the other hand, has been around for a lot longer, and for a long time appeared to be complacent. Now they are consistently (and quietly) making great strides.
What remains to be seen is whether they are reacting to market forces and throwing money at the problem (i.e. acquisitions) in order to appear relevant, or if they truly have changed.
I think it’s a real challenge for any large bureaucracy (which all large corporations eventually develop) to truly transform. Not impossible — just difficult.
I don’t think it’s any big mystery why Google gets so much attention. They are newer and younger than Yahoo in a time when newer = better. Their stock has soared to over $400. And they have a lot of smart people working for them. It’s natural to expect a lot from them.
Yahoo, on the other hand, has been around for a lot longer, and for a long time appeared to be complacent. Now they are consistently (and quietly) making great strides.
What remains to be seen is whether they are reacting to market forces and throwing money at the problem (i.e. acquisitions) in order to appear relevant, or if they truly have changed.
I think it’s a real challenge for any large bureaucracy (which all large corporations eventually develop) to truly transform. Not impossible — just difficult.