This sounds like someone at Fortune trying to do something industrious and then getting smacked by the higher-ups.

I wonder how many good ideas are quashed simply because of policy.

I'm sooo confused...

  Release early and often.
  Get eyeballs, then monetize.
  Bootstrap.
  Get basic version working, then add features.
  Get basic version working, then scale.
  Get basic version working, then license the technology.
  Get basic version working, then sell to enterprises.
  Get free version working, then upgrade them to premium.
  Get free version working, then sell support.
  Get free version working, then sell services.
  Get free version working, then put it on your resume.
  Raise money, hire wisely.
  Be first to market.
  Be second to market.
  Wait for market to clear, then enter with second wave.
  Find your niche.
  Have the lowest price.
  Have the highest price.
  Use technology as a barrier to competition.
  Win a business plan competition.
  Get into an incubator.
  Get into a seed accelerator.
  Find an angel.
  Find a mentor.
  Crowd source fund raising.
  Get press to raise money.
  Raise money to get press.
  

I think I'll just fall back on the only thing I know:

  Build something people will pay for.

That's a nice anecdote, but apart from the slanted attack on Michael Arrington (which is obviously proving popular, looking at how many upvotes you got), I'm not sure what it's got to do with the article at hand.

Michael Arrington might act like a douche sometimes (maybe even lots of the time), but that's no reason not to treat this story on its merits, rather than responding with a cute character attack.

This is going to be the most overhyped and underwhelming web project ever. This entire group looks like they have vaporware written all over them.

They threatened legal action. Posting emails doesn't seem like an unethical move after the other side has initiated hostilities.

Some of the best programmers i've worked with were weird dudes who learned how to program in college.

Starting early doesn't mean you're any good. 4 years of a serious, programming intensive CS degree is better training than 20 years of farting around with PHP.

We don't apply this criteria to other endeavors. I've been playing piano since I was 5 and I'm still not good at it. You're either good or your're not. Sometimes experience helps, sometimes it is a hindrance. Bad habits form early, too.

It's also curious that programmers claim that programming since they were a kid makes them a better programmer, but they also complain whenever a job advertisement requires years of experience.

Michael Arrington is not like that friend, because he not your friend. Michael Arrington is a reporter, only tell him stuff you want made public.

I'm going to side on Arrington on this one, even though sometimes, he likes to make a big deal out of something small like removing a few words from his post.

Why don't you just email me if you are so curious? My business model is easy to duplicate and posting something like this is not good for me, I would prefer it if you would just do this privately.