[akulbe]

I understand that publicly traded companies are one cornerstone of our economy.

That said, it's depressing to see companies get bought and sold just to move money around, and the people that work in those jobs completely ignored, or just seen as pawns to manipulate for nothing more than the bottom line.

To me, when a company goes from private to public, it's not something to celebrate in the long-term.

The company's focus inevitably seems to go from doing/creating something innovative, to maximizing shareholder value at any expense.

Rackspace was awesome. RIP Rackspace. (I don't know this for a fact, of course... but as others have surmised already, this will likely be just another pump and dump.)

[akulbe]

When I think of companies "doing it right", I think of the ones who choose to stay private and retain control. Slow but methodical growth.

Basecamp. Dyson. Cargill. Patagonia.

(to name a few)