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Legg Mason Conference Transcripts

Via Rajesh Jain E M E R G I C . o r g: January 11, 2004 Archives

Gurley: "(1) Evolution is a model or decent metaphor to think about business, and companies evolve with their tools. (2) technologies are business weapons, but there are no guarantees. (3) You can't choose not to play without risking extinction-heading out onto the field with a wooden racquet is a really bad idea."

Bezos: "I personally believe that with respect to the Internet we are at about the 1908 Hurley Washing Machine stage...We haven't invented the equivalent of the off switch, we haven't invented the electric outlet, people are still having to choose between phone calls and using their web browser...As the fundamental technology advances, as disk drives become even cheaper, as bandwidth becomes even cheaper, as CPUs become even cheaper, as the raw ingredients in our business continue to get cheaper and cheaper we will layer on top of that innovation to figure out how to take the now much cheaper raw ingredients and do something special that actually serves customers...What I see is that the rate of innovation on the Internet in general to my eye appears to be accelerating rather than decelerating. I don't know how long that will continue. I think it's very early, and we're basically in 1! 908."