The Seattle PI has just figured out what those of us here in net-space have known for some time: online technical innovation isn’t driven by profit, it’s driven by the desire to create and share cool stuff. The PI is running an opinion piece by Alex Steffan that briefly outlines the current Tech Bloom. Even after the venture capital of the nineties has dried up, creative and brilliant people continue to make new online technology at an accelerating rate.
What makes creative people tingle are interesting problems, the chance to impress their friends and caffeine.
Most geeks aren’t motivated by monetary reward, but by a desire to show off the next cool thing to friends and colleagues. The thrill of making something that’s never existed before is what makes it all worthwhile, and getting paid for it is an added bonus, but certainly not a requirement.
