as for the justin.tv thing.. you can watch justin.tv, but if they ever decided to come up to Canada and film an episode, etc. pretty much the only thing you'd see was alot of blurred out faces and license plates. it's like watching American "cops" then watching Canadian "To serve and protect" it doesn't compare.
I'm Canadian, but I'm of the same opinion as you guys(Americans) unless I'm holding up my ATM Card while entering my pin number or something what's wrong with seeing yourself on Google Streetview.. who knows perhaps a new spinoff marketing company might be created..lol picture it, someone chasing the MS live recorder with a Y Combinator T-shirt on. priceless.
no one can draw a line like that. everyone wants to see their own investment reap profits.
secondly, VCs mandates are not to rape your business. their goal is to make money. whether they end up raping your business by trying to make money is another topic all together. that is why it is important to find the appropriate VC for your business. if you find the right one and play it right, you should not get 'raped'.
Like you I grew up poor, and I don't want to say it's good experience, but I think it definitly gives you a better mindset on life. I work on a computer all day, but on the week-ends I love to get out and do physical labor.. there's nothing like the feeling of blisters on your hands from a hard days work.
and the whole "when the trust fund runs out" I think I'm gonna start using that line. :)
I've pitched a few ideas/products to VC's in the past, and although you're sharing the next big thing with them if they don't invest they're not going to steal your idea.
why you ask? it's simple... no respectable VC company wants to be known as the company that stole "your name here"'s idea. imagin what would happen if word get out that they stole someones idea after hearing their pitch. nobody would ever pitch to them again.
when all else fails.. use the "poor mans patent" print off your code, idea, etc. and register mail it to yourself, but don't open it. in case you ever need proof you have it... signed, dated, and stamped.
When you say "not hackers" does that mean you still only have an idea for a site, or that you aren't familiar with programming, but are still moving along with the site? i.e. are paying someone to do the programming for you?
Yeah my partner and I arent't very experienced programmers, but (like everyone with an idea) we think our idea is awesome. We are looking to partner with a third party on the programming side.
This is the same problem engineers have...lol have you ever seen the movie office space? the easy answer is to hire someone who is a people person and knows a little about programming. Let them deal with the customer/public and you can continue to do what you do best...hack.
Like you my partner and I will be submitting our application for the winter 08 funding. We're from Canada, so if selected are looking forward to getting out of the snow and hacking.
