[tim333]

I'm not sure the two view points really contradict. While early microcomputers, BackRub and early Facebook may have seemed like toys I sure some of those folks were aware they could become "important." I think Gates and the Apple guys were aware microcomputers would become widespread and the Google guys were aware better search could be a big deal. I think from interviews Zuckerberg was a bit surprised by how theFacebook took off though. Although subsequently he's got the "For us, it is this vision of connecting the world," thing going on.

[revorad]

It's easy to write grand vision statements in retrospect. At the time though, Page and Brin said looking at Sean Parker, "We'll never be as famous as him", as per a story Ron Conway once told at Startup school.

[hkailahi]

*Shawn Fanning

[antaviana]

I believe that in the early days Mark Zuckerberg wanted to build some kind of Dropbox, and that Facebook was some kind of interim thing. It was exposed in a chat that came out with litigation with Winklevoss brothers. He ended up sticking with building Facebook.