Is it a good time to start a business?

Posted April 2, 2006 1:22 AM.

There have been a few pretty fascinating posts roaming around the blogosphere recently, and I thought I'd reference them a little more fully than normal not only because they're particularly interesting but also because they illustrate the possibilities of conversation and debate stretching across webloggia (like in the old days before we had comment spam):

• Caterina Fake: It's a bad time to start a company
  Basic premise: There's too much competition, not enough talent and no clearer business models than there were a while back;
• David Heinemeier Hansson: It's a great time to start a business
  Basic premise: If you're not trying to win the Web 2.0 lottery there's substantial space for building businesses (presumably enormous space if you're planning to work as a consultancy or a design company while all the stupid money is flowing around, or if you're building things to help small teams work together, or selling shiny office chairs and blue neon signs);
• Brian Fling: Anytime is the right time to start a company
  Basic premise: If you do what you love and you're sensible about it then you can't really go wrong;
• And honourary mention goes to Jason Kottke who posted earlier than any of the above: A Whole New Internet
  Basic Premise: You've all missed the boat already. Might as well go home.