It has taken a week, but, Colin/Roelf, please spend the time (if you can) watching the speeches on http://www.zoopy.com/siliconcape (you can avoid all the soundbyte videos), and you can judge for yourself.

For what it’s worth I will take up the offer, I just need to find a time. Will email you.

Andrew Thomas-Woolf :

Hi Colin, Roelf & others,

Andrew, your post is very eloquent and hits the right strings with me. Thanks for engaging, and I have to say that it has left some lingering thoughts.

I’m posting a full response as a new article…

Ivo Vegter :

Finally, I’ve acquired fanboy status!

Congratulations.

Ivo Vegter :
But yeah, cynical though I am, and conditional though my conclusions were (in publications that carried my coverage), I’ll admit I’m a fan. And while Silicon Cape may not have solved the ultimate question (how do we attract the right people), I think your post is a pretty good example of how not to.

Ah, yes. So sorry if my post upset the entire initiative. I’ll try to do more “we’re not worthy’s” next time.

Quite right. Why then are we perpetuating this?

Erin :

I hate to burst your bubble but everything that has succeeded in South Africa has been copied in some form or another. Our cellphone networks were launched off models taken from overseas.

My bubble is quite intact, thank you. And you’re wrong.

Thanks for your post.

justinspratt :

But then I read your post. Wow. Unlike most “vitriolics” (SC detractors essentially), at least your prose was readable. Unfortunately it is contentless. I have taken nothing useful away from it except that you (whom I didnt know previous to reading this) doesnt like Cape Town. Who cares about that?

I can understand my views coming across as being unclear, having re-read my post.

I certainly don’t get how you read that I dislike Cape Town.

What I do dislike is lip service, and I guess what you need to take away is that I’m tired of hearing the same thing from politicians and “those concerned”.

In addition, I’m patently tired of Web startups whining about a “difficult venture capital environment” and the problems they encounter when trying to make their supposedly startling businesses cash flow positive, whilst verbally fellating about this in endless Geekdinners and 24-somethings.

I have personally found that elbow grease tends to lubricate a lot of things. And yes, I do cross border transactions, and projects scoping Africa and have a very good handle on what the issues are in terms of IP, and foreign currency and taxes.

But honestly, people complaining about the lack of cross-currency Paypal payments because it breaks their business model is simply farsical.

The Silicon Cape initiative is far too focused on “monetizing online startups” than with the real plumbing that is Information Technology. I would hate to see just another series of SEO optimizers, Blog consultants and microblogging tools and websites be the vanguard of Information Technology in South Africa.

justinspratt
I have never herd of you, and probably wouldnt unless Colin Alston hadnt posted your blog link on twitter.

Ditto. I’d never heard of you either. Are we quits now ?

I also did some digging, specifically around this post and you. Let’s, for example take your twitter post quoted such:

http://twitter.com/justinspratt/status/4757278625
@karnaugh oh, a bring that “rodent” guy too. although he sounds abused as a child, he appears smart, so there could be a chance

You, on the other hand appear dumb and vindictive. Take your fucking invite for coffee and shove it up your anus, you pompous, conniving prick.

I’ll buy you a Jack Daniels if I ever get to see you. I don’t need your Cuppacino.

Oh, and bring more hate please.

Re Frogfoot, I know the company well, and while I respect and personally know the people who own it/work there, I don’t think they are the poster-child of greatness as far as the Cape goes.