Thinking in context of what has come before

Startup News:

"This place is a graveyard of hope - everyone here seems to be trying, and everyone seems to be advising - but nobody seems to be succeeding." - Max Klein

I've started to read YCombo news less and less the last couple of months. Most of the articles are about getting funding, a stage which I'm not quite at yet. And I've noticed a lack of concentration on techs and markets at the fringes. To me, that's where opportunities exist, and that's what you have to pay attention to, even if it's 5 years off.

Most everyone seems to think within the context of what was lately successful. "It's a social network that you can post photos and tag them!"

Granted, it's easier to think of things in terms of what has come before, as there's maybe only seven original things under the sun. (I don't know what the seven are, don't ask me). But there are plenty of interesting things going on in research labs, Rubists, Erlangers, and with designers and media communication majors that make the impossible possible.

I think Joe Kraus has it right. He takes things from the land of the nerds and makes them accessible to lesser nerds.