[k__]

I'm not saying we can't learn from Zimki.

I'm just a bit weary of people claiming they "invented the future" way back before the future actually came.

[webmaven]

Simon doesn't claim he invented PaaS, but he did predict it.

As far as learning from Zimki, I think the lesson Simon says he learned was basically (paraphrasing) "make sure you don't run out of political capital" and watching out for misaligned incentives.