Silicon valley is a lot larger than just web start-ups. If and when YC launches something that eventually turns in to the next google or something on that scale it will have a real impact, but for now the big winners have not been created using the YC model.<p>Who knows, maybe one day.
Opponents of "Pay & Spray" will have a field day with Ron Conway's quote:<p>Archangel Ron Conway, who said he’s put money into 500 companies over the last 12 years, kicked off the day with an optimistic and generous recruiting speech: He said he believes every “entrepreneur who has the guts to start a company” should get funding, and added “I believe the more angels we have in Silicon Valley the better.”
"Archangel Ron Conway" - i liked that<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Archangels" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Archangels</a>
>Besides, acquisitions of young companies tend to be better for everyone involved, as compared to later-stage deals, said Geoff Ralston, who recently sold Lala to Apple. Integrations of billion-dollar companies almost never work, he said.<p>If there was no acquisition of LaLa, we'd all be listening to music for 10 cents a track on our iPhones and Androids. Hopefully they come up with something awesome at Apple.
pg: “The way of the future is no fixed amount, no fixed closing date, and no lead.”<p>This concept is unfamiliar to me? What does it mean? What compromises a "rolling" financing deal?
I remember a comment by google people, they said something in the lines that they prefer not to employee many valuable people because they being out are better for IT progress.<p>If YCombinator culture is too strong, it may damage the necessary diversity in people conception of a startup.<p>A good group of people need a lot of small differents groups in order to explore the landscape of startup opportunities. So let's hope that YHacker influence doesn't grow to excessive influence.