I'm not so sure it's toxic, particularly with the reduction in costs to get up and running these days (Linux on a laptop with Emacs/VIM and a LAMP stack is free except for the hardware and hosting on the cloud makes it VERY affordable to start out small) I actually feel it's healthy and positive.
If you look at our industry it is panning out like a miniature biological ecosystem, with companies devouring other companies, some companies pivoting into different/new companies, big old companies being overthrown by smaller, newer, smarter ones.
Acqui-hiring is just one avenue for the evolution of technology to continue - and TBH, I may not agree with Facebook's policy but what they have achieved (virtually anyone that is "online" has a "Facebook") is remarkable with regards to the social graph and connecting people.
I generally agree with you. As far as toxic, I was talking about the "exist to be acquired". Who knows, I may one day go that route with a company of mine. However, I would much rather have a product that adds value and could be bootstrapped. All the advantages you mention also mean that bootstrapping is also much more possible.
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I'm not so sure it's toxic, particularly with the reduction in costs to get up and running these days (Linux on a laptop with Emacs/VIM and a LAMP stack is free except for the hardware and hosting on the cloud makes it VERY affordable to start out small) I actually feel it's healthy and positive.
If you look at our industry it is panning out like a miniature biological ecosystem, with companies devouring other companies, some companies pivoting into different/new companies, big old companies being overthrown by smaller, newer, smarter ones.
Acqui-hiring is just one avenue for the evolution of technology to continue - and TBH, I may not agree with Facebook's policy but what they have achieved (virtually anyone that is "online" has a "Facebook") is remarkable with regards to the social graph and connecting people.
I generally agree with you. As far as toxic, I was talking about the "exist to be acquired". Who knows, I may one day go that route with a company of mine. However, I would much rather have a product that adds value and could be bootstrapped. All the advantages you mention also mean that bootstrapping is also much more possible.