[not_that_noob]

Investors found that particular religion with Google. Losing money hand over fist till they put in adwords. They had to fight investors to put in one of the most profitable models on the planet. Ever since then, the game has changed. Investors now believe fervently, and founders realized investors may not know everything. Everyone else who came after drafted in Google's wake (I'm looking at you Zuck)

[Mitchhhs]

Yeah but thats different. Theres a difference between charging zero to get a network and losing money as a business vs selling a product and losing money on every single unit of that product being sold.