Posted by Malumcunael on October 3, 2000 at 01:43:32:
In Reply to: Since they have a web version.... posted by Proud Anathema, Local Boy(VIP) on October 3, 2000 at 01:20:49:
> Published Monday, October 2, 2000, in the San Jose Mercury News > Teens tackle cyber world from comfort of living room > You know that new Alliance for Childhood > Robert Chin and Chris Kung haven't read it. > And there's their year-old start-up, a company that hosts > ``We just started making a profit,'' said Robert, 17. > That puts GameShadow Networks ahead of most of the dot-com > No, it's not a huge profit, and it's not a huge operation. World > ``I call this the radiation center,'' said Chris, 16. > The guts of the operation are down below. The server storing > This is serious business, which is clear when you talk to Robert and > It's the way it works around here. If you're going to retire at 30, you > Robert, wearing a ``Will Work for Bandwidth'' T-shirt, sounds like > ``We try to build a community between the people we host,'' he said, > He takes questions about going public seriously, not that he has any > Robert and Chris were shrewd enough to persuade a veteran venture > ``He said, `Why don't you write a business plan?' '' Robert recalled. > The loan from Robert's parents, along with the $5,000 their son > ``I actually got him to say yes when we were on vacation,'' he said of > All that summer, Robert and Chris wrote code and built the site. They > ``We didn't want to start while school was in,'' Robert said, ``because > Now they host about 20 main sites. They can run the business by > And sitting in the radiation center, it's not hard to believe they can. > Contact Mike Cassidy at mcassidy@sjmercury.com or (408)920-5536.
> report that says computers might do kids more
> harm than good?
> The Los Altos High School students have been too busy. Yes, there's
> schoolwork and track and Scouting.
> game-related Web sites.
> sector.
> headquarters is Robert's living room. Three glowing monitors, a
> laptop, CPUs stashed under a desk.
> GameShadow Web pages sits in a small basement back room --
> gives a whole new meaning to ``storage room.''
> Chris. The two run down their business model: They host game
> enthusiasts' Web sites for free. The sites offer tips, downloads that
> enhance existing games and tools for Web site builders. Then, they
> sell space on those sites to advertisers who want to pitch products to
> the computer game-playing demographic.
> need to get cracking. Computers are just a tool, a tool to build a
> career and maybe a fortune.
> the seasoned Silicon Valley CEO. He explains that GameShadow
> strives to provide Web developers support that competing sites don't.
> He says its secret sauce is the chat rooms where those building Web
> sites can trade ideas, frustrations and dreams.
> ``because we figure if you're part of the community, you don't want to
> leave.''
> such plans. GameShadow is making money, he said, and as long as
> you're making money, ``it's nice to have it privately owned so you
> keep control.''
> capitalist to lend them start-up money. OK, the venture capitalist was
> Robert's dad.
> ``My dad's a pretty thorough guy.''
> invested from gains in the stock market, was enough to buy the
> server, with change left over. Already, Robert the younger knows
> timing is everything.
> closing the deal during a 1999 spring break trip to Europe.
> launched in August 1999.
> we knew we had finals and stuff.''
> working a few hours here and there. It gives them the time to pursue
> other interests, like Robert's summer job writing software for a
> wireless networking company and Chris's summer advance placement
> classes.
> Next year, it's college. (Chris is thinking Stanford, UC-Berkeley. Robert is considering the University of Illinois, MIT, Carnegie-Mellon.) The boys are confident they can keep the company running when they head to college next year.