If so many of us live in California, why has there not been a west coast CF Con? NT

If so many of us live in California, why has there not been a west coast CF Con? NT:
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Posted by Sacramento boy on October 3, 2000 at 11:57:34:

In Reply to: Lots of us live around here :P (n/t) posted by Dioxide, Local Boy(VIP) on October 3, 2000 at 01:55:41:

> > > 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
> > > report that says computers might do kids more
> > > harm than good?

> > > Robert Chin and Chris Kung haven't read it.
> > > The Los Altos High School students have been too busy. Yes, there's
> > > schoolwork and track and Scouting.

> > > And there's their year-old start-up, a company that hosts
> > > game-related Web sites.

> > > ``We just started making a profit,'' said Robert, 17.

> > > That puts GameShadow Networks ahead of most of the dot-com
> > > sector.

> > > No, it's not a huge profit, and it's not a huge operation. World
> > > headquarters is Robert's living room. Three glowing monitors, a
> > > laptop, CPUs stashed under a desk.

> > > ``I call this the radiation center,'' said Chris, 16.

> > > The guts of the operation are down below. The server storing
> > > GameShadow Web pages sits in a small basement back room --
> > > gives a whole new meaning to ``storage room.''

> > > This is serious business, which is clear when you talk to Robert and
> > > 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.

> > > It's the way it works around here. If you're going to retire at 30, you
> > > need to get cracking. Computers are just a tool, a tool to build a
> > > career and maybe a fortune.

> > > Robert, wearing a ``Will Work for Bandwidth'' T-shirt, sounds like
> > > 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.

> > > ``We try to build a community between the people we host,'' he said,
> > > ``because we figure if you're part of the community, you don't want to
> > > leave.''

> > > He takes questions about going public seriously, not that he has any
> > > 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.''

> > > Robert and Chris were shrewd enough to persuade a veteran venture
> > > capitalist to lend them start-up money. OK, the venture capitalist was
> > > Robert's dad.

> > > ``He said, `Why don't you write a business plan?' '' Robert recalled.
> > > ``My dad's a pretty thorough guy.''

> > > The loan from Robert's parents, along with the $5,000 their son
> > > 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.

> > > ``I actually got him to say yes when we were on vacation,'' he said of
> > > closing the deal during a 1999 spring break trip to Europe.

> > > All that summer, Robert and Chris wrote code and built the site. They
> > > launched in August 1999.

> > > ``We didn't want to start while school was in,'' Robert said, ``because
> > > we knew we had finals and stuff.''

> > > Now they host about 20 main sites. They can run the business by
> > > 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.

> > > 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.

Follow Ups:

We live in California. We're a little more active than those pale lazy east coasters :) n/t Tracker of the Wicked(VIP) 11:38:41 10/4/2000 (1)
- *laughs* especially true of us in Southern CA.(n/t) The First Apostle 14:39:52 10/4/2000 (0)

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Comments:	> > > > Published Monday, October 2, 2000, in the San Jose Mercury News > > > > <b>Teens tackle cyber world from comfort of living room</b> > > > > You know that new Alliance for Childhood > > > > report that says computers might do kids more > > > > harm than good? > > > > Robert Chin and Chris Kung haven't read it. > > > > The Los Altos High School students have been too busy. Yes, there's > > > > schoolwork and track and Scouting. > > > > And there's their year-old start-up, a company that hosts > > > > game-related Web sites. > > > > ``We just started making a profit,'' said Robert, 17. > > > > That puts GameShadow Networks ahead of most of the dot-com > > > > sector. > > > > No, it's not a huge profit, and it's not a huge operation. World > > > > headquarters is Robert's living room. Three glowing monitors, a > > > > laptop, CPUs stashed under a desk. > > > > ``I call this the radiation center,'' said Chris, 16. > > > > The guts of the operation are down below. The server storing > > > > GameShadow Web pages sits in a small basement back room -- > > > > gives a whole new meaning to ``storage room.'' > > > > This is serious business, which is clear when you talk to Robert and > > > > 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. > > > > It's the way it works around here. If you're going to retire at 30, you > > > > need to get cracking. Computers are just a tool, a tool to build a > > > > career and maybe a fortune. > > > > Robert, wearing a ``Will Work for Bandwidth'' T-shirt, sounds like > > > > 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. > > > > ``We try to build a community between the people we host,'' he said, > > > > ``because we figure if you're part of the community, you don't want to > > > > leave.'' > > > > He takes questions about going public seriously, not that he has any > > > > 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.'' > > > > Robert and Chris were shrewd enough to persuade a veteran venture > > > > capitalist to lend them start-up money. OK, the venture capitalist was > > > > Robert's dad. > > > > ``He said, `Why don't you write a business plan?' '' Robert recalled. > > > > ``My dad's a pretty thorough guy.'' > > > > The loan from Robert's parents, along with the $5,000 their son > > > > 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. > > > > ``I actually got him to say yes when we were on vacation,'' he said of > > > > closing the deal during a 1999 spring break trip to Europe. > > > > All that summer, Robert and Chris wrote code and built the site. They > > > > launched in August 1999. > > > > ``We didn't want to start while school was in,'' Robert said, ``because > > > > we knew we had finals and stuff.'' > > > > Now they host about 20 main sites. They can run the business by > > > > 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. > > > > 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.

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