DISQUS

Nate Too · 2 years ago

I think you're right, that he did reuse some of the code that was given to him by the ConnectU guys with the understanding that he would build ConnectU-not Facebook. My guess is that the original fb code, were it made available by Mark, would show this to be true-thus the disappearing act.

Hopefully, FB users can combine this new article, the ensuing litigation, AND what they know about Beacon, and FB's miss use of user data to come to the conclusion that the leader of FB may not be on the up and up, thus, FB itself may not be either.

Charlie · 2 years ago

The picture from the article tells the story:
http://www.02138mag.com/asset/1065.jpg

These are the guys suing Zuckerberg. Ivy League competitve rowers who can't/won't write code.

Put yourself in Mark's shoes. You're a geeky kid who learned to code, maybe reads Slashdot and are looking to do something cool on the web. These jocks notice a thing you made and say they want your help with their company. You get excited and agree.

You've spent lots of time on the web and have developed a very good sense of what a good website is, and as you look over their idea, you realize that it is a start, but that you could do better. You wouldn't use the site they drew up, but with some tweaks and a good UI, it has potential.

What do you do? Maybe you could go back to them and tell them how it could be done right.

Maybe you feel like they don't have the touch and you do, so you don't feel any obligation to fix their project, and instead opt to make your own.

Maybe they're arrogant pricks who wouldn't listen to you, and your sense of things is that if they don't know how to code, tough shit for them. I have no idea of course, but a few things jump out:

They're ivy league jocks supported by their dad.
They sunk $800,000 into their project through a web development firm (wow! where'd they get that? Why didn't they do that to start with? Somehow I doubt Zuckerberg would have done this)

If this were a movie, they look the part of the guy that has everything, has no trouble getting laid, and gives Zuck a swirlie.

None of that proves anything but it does kind of fit an image, no?

Troy LeMaire · 2 years ago

I agree, we are not talking about internal espionage, we are talking execution of an idea. If these guys had such a great product, plan, etc. then whey don't we hear there names everywhere?

Troy

john · 1 year ago

Guys, whatever it is but this guy Mark did wrong thing by stealing the code and concept of the guys who trusted him with their pet project. As many guys like facebook today, even i do like it but that does not make what Mark did right. Disappearing of a site's initial codebase is not possible unless its done intentionally. Wherever he initially hosted the site facebook, those hosting providers make daily/weekly backups of your complete code. the owner himself(Mark) keeps backups, especially if you are such an expert like Mark.

The guys supporting him, just think, what if it happened with you? You have an idea, you wrote some code and trusted a fellow student at your university with your code and full plan, and he steals everything from you, not just your idea, but your initial code too.

I know ideas are worth a dime and execution/coding is most important. but he did steal the code too not just the plan and idea.

All the following are just a few of all the things which proves that he did steal not only the idea but the code too.
1) disappearing of facebook's initial code.
2) facebook agreeing to pay connectU.com to settle the lawsuit.
3) connectu's claim against facebook from the very begining of facebook.
4) Mark's working on ConnectU before starting coding on facebook