I think it's very difficult to be a successful Internet company that isn't based in Silicon Valley.

It is ironic that the Internet is a global phenomenon -- yet if you're not in Silicon Valley, it's really hard to get a sense of the pace and the connections between those companies. So many of the ideas get transferred in hallway conversations, meetings over lunch and the casual interactions of the companies that are proximate.

It's generally due to the Internet boom. It's due to both companies like Excite@Home who are further along in their life cycle as well as the second, third, fourth generation startup companies that surround Excite@Home.

It's generally due to the Internet boom. It's due to both companies like Excite@Home who are further along in their life cycle as well as the second-, third-, fourth-generation startup companies that surround Excite@Home.

I have a hard time believing that they can buy a company with 2,000 people and make it work. The notion of buying a gigantic company with a lot of cash is a very risky proposition.

Never in my wildest dreams or fantasies did I think I would be running an Internet company, ... I was as traditional as it got.