[rchaud]

You are correct, but the metrics of success have always been different in tech. Regular businesses would be considered failures if they had 10 years in the red. But if you get a "unicorn" valuation and manage to IPO without even making a profit, well, that's the dream for a lot of HN'ers. If somebody out there makes you a multi-millionaire based either on faith in your company or in their ability to shift the risk to the next sucker, who're you to say no?

[max76]

This gives me concerns about legacy. Henry Ford is still well known and quoted today not only because he built a well known company and iconic products a century ago, but because his company is still building cultural icons today (F-150 and Mustang).

I would much prefer to build a Ford than a Yahoo/Tumblr/Compaq, even if it meant my personal fortune was 10x or 100x lower.

[JohnFen]

>the metrics of success have always been different in tech.

It hasn't always been that way at all, but it certainly is now. I think this is one of the huge red flags about the modern incarnation of the tech industry.

[rchaud]

Agreed, "always" is the wrong term. "Since the late '90s" would be more accurate.