#274 Jim Clark Silicon Graphics, Netscape

In "The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story," Michael Lewis delves into the life of Jim Clark, a man whose character quirks catalyzed monumental ripples in the tech world, often inadvertently. Clark, a high school dropout who amassed billions, founded three separate billion-dollar tech companies, including Netscape, which played a pivotal role in the internet boom and the capitalist frenzy that followed. Despite his wealth and success, Clark's upbringing in Plainview, Texas, and his tumultuous relationship with his abusive father profoundly shaped his relentless drive. Lewis's narrative, drawn from interviews with Clark's family and his own experiences, including a transatlantic sailing trip with Clark, paints a portrait of a man driven by a desire for change and revenge, a brilliant yet dissatisfied innovator who continuously sought to disrupt industries and, in turn, his own life.

• Jim Clark's life is likened to an old-fashioned adventure story, filled with unpredictability and significant impact on the world.
• His actions, often unintended, caused substantial changes and upheavals in people's lives.
• Despite his desire for relaxation, Clark's restless mind constantly sought out change.
• Clark is most well-known for creating Netscape and triggering the Internet boom, which led to a massive surge in wealth generation.
• His background of coming from poverty and dropping out of high school contrasts sharply with his later success and wealth.

"His mere presence on a scene inspired the question that propels every adventure story forward. What will happen next?"

This quote captures the essence of Jim Clark's life as a series of unpredictable events that keep one wondering about the future. It emphasizes his impact on the world and the adventure-like quality of his life's path.

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• Jim Clark experienced a profound personal and professional transformation.
• He was fired and went through a divorce at 38, leading to a maniacal passion for achievement.
• Clark's transformation seemed to occur overnight, surprising even himself.

"I was 38 years old. I had just been fired. My second wife had just left me. I had somehow fucked up. I developed this maniacal passion for wanting to achieve something. The result of this self imposed psychology surprised even Clark."

This quote highlights the pivotal moment in Jim Clark's life that spurred a drastic change in his mindset and ambitions, leading to his relentless drive for success.

• Clark believed that engineers, as the creators of wealth, should be rewarded accordingly.
• His views align with Vannevar Bush's philosophy that engineers are the engine of capitalism.
• Clark's philosophy is a variation of New Growth Theory, which posits that wealth comes from human imagination and innovation.

"Jim would agree with that statement... It's like a variation of this thing called new growth theory."

The quote outlines Clark's alignment with the idea that engineers should be rewarded for their role in driving capitalism, which is a central tenet of his philosophy and indicative of his support for New Growth Theory.

• Jim Clark's wealth was public knowledge, fluctuating significantly due to the volatile nature of the tech industry.
• Example: Clark's shares in Netscape were worth $400 million on July 5, 1998, which was less than his past and future valuations.

"It was public knowledge that Jim Clark owned 16 million shares in Netscape and that Netscape at the time they're meeting on July 5, 1998, was trading at $25 a share."

This quote illustrates the economic volatility and the public nature of Clark's wealth during the tech boom, reflecting the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the industry.

• The book "The Engineers and the Price System" by Thorstein Veblen predicted engineers would dominate the US economy.
• Veblen argued that engineers would seize power from financiers due to their understanding of technology.
• Clark resonated with the idea of engineers taking power from financiers, as he saw this shift occurring in Silicon Valley.

"Jim was particularly keen on the idea of the engineer grabbing power from the financier. That is happening right now, he said, right here in the valley, the power is shifting to the engineers who create the companies."

The quote captures Clark's belief in the rising dominance of engineers in the economic landscape, a shift he witnessed firsthand in Silicon Valley and strongly supported.

• New Growth Theory, developed by economist Paul Romer, suggests that wealth is created by innovative combinations of existing resources.
• The theory emphasizes the importance of nonconformism and the role of 'geeks' in creating wealth through technology.

"The metaphor that Roemer used was that of a well stocked kitchen waiting for a brilliant chef to exploit it... The prime mover of wealth was the geek, holed up in his basement all weekend, discovering new things to do with his computer."

This quote explains the essence of New Growth Theory, likening innovation to a chef creating new recipes, and positions technologically savvy individuals as central to economic growth.

• Jim Clark was one of the few who transitioned from the first part of Silicon Valley's history, focused on building better machines, to the second part, which involved creating new software applications.
• The shift in Silicon Valley reflected a broader notion of what constituted useful work, with the internet expanding career possibilities.

"Clark had made the leap from part one to part two of the Silicon Valley story... The notion of what constituted useful work had broadened."

The quote emphasizes Clark's adaptability and foresight in moving from hardware to software, and his understanding of the changing landscape of valuable work in the tech industry.

• Clark's philosophy blurred the lines between work and leisure, with his actions driven by a pursuit of excellence.
• He embraced unpredictability and change, seeing impatience as a commercial virtue that spurred the creation of new companies.

"A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play... Impatience might be a social vice, but to Clark it was a commercial virtue."

This quote reflects Clark's holistic approach to life, where work and play are indistinguishable, and his belief that impatience can be a positive trait in the business world.

• Clark's first company, Silicon Graphics, was founded with his Stanford graduate students and initially undervalued.
• His technology, particularly the geometry engine, was revolutionary, yet the financial benefits were not equitably distributed among the engineers.

"Clark had invented the technology, bet his career on it, and he had been right... But as a group, Clark began to complain. They had precious little to show for it."

The quote captures the disparity between Clark's innovative contributions and the financial rewards, highlighting his dissatisfaction with the distribution of wealth within Silicon Graphics.

• Clark experienced conflict with Silicon Graphics' board, leading to his departure and the creation of new ventures.
• He was determined to correct the injustices he perceived in the distribution of wealth and power in his future companies.

"Jim is a misfit, a troublemaker... His solution every time, or almost every time, is all right. The solution is we need to start another company."

This quote illustrates Clark's rebellious nature and his response to conflict, which was to innovate and start new companies that aligned with his values.

• Founders imprint their personality on their companies, shaping the organization's behavior and values.
• Early Silicon Graphics reflected Jim Clark's persona: a brilliant, bullheaded engineer with a preference for innovation over immediate profit.
• The company was seen as a loose collection of argumentative but brilliant engineers.
• This culture was at odds with the profit-driven approach of professional management.

"By 1984, everyone understood that it would behave like Jim Clark, which is to say that it would behave as no big, successful American company had ever behaved."

The quote emphasizes how Jim Clark's personality was integral to Silicon Graphics' unique corporate culture, which diverged from traditional American business practices.

• Traditional equity holders prioritize profitability, often at the expense of innovation and technological advancement.
• Founders may lose control and influence if they give up too much equity.
• Professional managers focus on selling current technology effectively, but may lack the vision or skills to create future technologies.
• Silicon Graphics experienced a short-term financial success under professional management, but ultimately faced the consequences of not innovating.

"These people could never build the machines of the future. But they could sell the machines of the present."

This quote contrasts the innovative spirit of founders with the operational efficiency of professional managers, highlighting a potential conflict between building for the future and selling in the present.

• Jim Clark recognized the need for Silicon Graphics to disrupt itself to avoid becoming obsolete.
• He understood that staying high-tech required constant innovation, even if it meant undermining current profitable products.
• Clark's push for self-cannibalization was met with resistance from the existing management focused on current profits.

"For a technology company to succeed, he argued, it needed always to be looking to destroy itself. If it didn't, somebody else would."

This quote encapsulates Clark's belief in proactive self-disruption as essential for long-term success in technology.

• Discontent with the direction of Silicon Graphics led Jim Clark to seek new ventures.
• Similar to Walt Disney, Clark's dissatisfaction fueled his search for a new creative outlet, leading to his obsession with toy helicopters.
• Clark's departure from Silicon Graphics was motivated by a desire for revenge and a determination to prove his worth independently.

"Jim Clark was gone. He'd up and left the company he created and said he was going to start another."

The quote signifies a turning point where Clark decides to leave Silicon Graphics, driven by a personal vendetta and ambition to succeed on his own terms.

• Jim Clark's next venture was Netscape, inspired by the potential of the internet and its rapid growth.
• Netscape's success was partly due to Clark's ability to tell a compelling story, attracting investment and public interest.
• Netscape's IPO made many employees wealthy, including Clark, who ensured he retained significant control and ownership.

"People started drinking my koolaid."

This quote from Jim Clark highlights the impact of his persuasive storytelling on Netscape's successful public offering.

• Recruiting is crucial for a company's success but is also challenging, as evidenced by Clark's experience with Netscape.
• The book suggests that some engineers regretted not joining Netscape, as they missed out on the financial rewards.
• The story serves as a lesson in risk-taking and opportunity recognition for potential employees and founders.

"Jim built this company with a b team. We are making 80,000 a year. These guys are making millions."

This quote reflects on missed opportunities and the importance of risk assessment when choosing to join a startup or new venture.

• Recruiting top talent is a significant challenge for startups.
• Marc Andreessen's experience with Jim Clark highlights the rarity of individuals willing to take risks with new ventures.
• Jim Clark's reputation and success with Silicon Graphics Inc. did not ease the difficulty of recruitment for Netscape.
• The majority of potential recruits hesitated to join Clark, demonstrating the fear of risk prevalent even among Silicon Valley professionals.

"When Jim Clark decided to start a new company in 1994, I was one of about a dozen people at various Silicon Valley companies he was talking to about joining him in what became Netscape. I was the only one who went all the way to saying yes."

This quote illustrates the challenge faced by Jim Clark, a well-known figure in the tech industry, in convincing talented individuals to join his new venture, Netscape. Despite his status, most recruits were reluctant to take the leap.

• Jim Clark blurred the lines between work and play, integrating his passions and interests into his professional endeavors.
• The creation of an automated and computerized sailboat reflects Clark's desire to innovate for pleasure, not just for financial gain.
• Clark's approach to entrepreneurship was about designing the role he wanted and ensuring his work environment allowed him to play that role.

"There is really no distinction between work and play for Jim Clark."

This quote encapsulates Clark's philosophy that work and leisure can be one and the same. His career choices were driven by this principle, allowing him to pursue projects that were both personally fulfilling and professionally rewarding.

• After Netscape, Clark realized he did not fit well within large organizations and designed his future ventures accordingly.
• He maintained positions such as chairman and held shares without being deeply involved in day-to-day operations.
• Clark's ventures post-Netscape, like Healthion, were ambitious and aimed at revolutionizing industries using the internet.

"Having learned from silicon graphics that he did not really belong inside a large organization. He designed all future large organizations without a place for himself inside of it."

The quote explains that Clark learned from his past experiences and structured his future companies in a way that allowed him to maintain influence without being entangled in the operational complexities that did not suit his strengths or interests.

• The tech industry, along with others like literature and film, shows a significant disparity between the average and the best talents.
• Steve Jobs and Jim Clark's co-founder at Healthion both emphasized the dramatic difference a top-tier talent can make.
• The book discusses the swift accumulation of wealth in the tech industry, with venture capitalists initially skeptical of Clark's demands but ultimately realizing massive returns on their investments.

"The difference between a great software guy and an okay software guy is huge. A great software guy is worth ten times an okay software guy."

This quote highlights the principle that in certain industries, such as software development, the impact of a highly skilled individual can be exponentially greater than that of an average one. This underscores the value of investing in top talent.

• Jim Clark's willingness to take financial risks was a key factor in his success.
• His confidence in his ventures was so strong that it influenced others to invest alongside him.
• Clark's metaphor of "pigs and chickens" illustrated his belief in the importance of commitment over mere interest in business endeavors.

"Clark's willingness to take risks others shunned was the source of his financial power."

The quote reflects Clark's entrepreneurial spirit and his ability to use his own conviction to inspire confidence in others, thereby securing the financial backing needed for his ambitious projects.

• Jim Clark's financial goals continually escalated as he achieved each new level of wealth.
• His desire to outdo competitors like Larry Ellison was part of his motivation.
• Clark's restlessness and dissatisfaction fueled his drive to keep pushing boundaries and taking on new challenges.

"I just want to make more money than Larry Ellison. Then I'll stop."

This quote reveals Clark's competitive nature and his ever-shifting benchmarks for success. It illustrates the common phenomenon of goalposts moving as one achieves their initial objectives, leading to perpetual dissatisfaction and ongoing ambition.