Headlines - Very PC MD responds to Dragon?s Den mauling

**HEXUS** · 05-08-2008, 02:27 PM

Boss of eco-PC company gives his side of the story after apparent savaging on national TV.

koocha · 05-08-2008, 02:41 PM

For those of you who missed it go to www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer and jump to 32 minutes into it.

Those dragons are mean, but I like em!

PS. Global warming is a myth, but I'm up for spending less on my leccy bill.

N3il · 05-08-2008, 02:45 PM

I always wondered how people could go on there with those horrible people (and lets face it, whether they are doing it for the camera or whether its edited for this purpose - they do come across as horrible). But I suppose its gained him publicity even if they dont back him..

kalniel · 05-08-2008, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by N3il

I always wondered how people could go on there with those horrible people (and lets face it, whether they are doing it for the camera or whether its edited for this purpose - they do come across as horrible). But I suppose its gained him publicity even if they dont back him..

I don't think they come across as horrible at all - I've had very similar style grillings at business funding competitions. They might not agree with you about the potential market for your business, but you can just agree to disagree there. There's nothing else for them to complain about if you get your preparation and numbers right.

revol68 · 05-08-2008, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by koocha

For those of you who missed it go to www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer and jump to 32 minutes into it.

Those dragons are mean, but I like em!

PS. Global warming is a myth, but I'm up for spending less on my leccy bill.

You sir are an idiot. Having Father Dougal in your avatar is quite fitting.

TAKTAK · 05-08-2008, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by revol68

You sir are an idiot. Having Father Dougal in your avatar is quite fitting.

well global warming is all due to the decline in the number of pirates anyway...

well.. that and all of the Dihydro monoxide in the atmosphere

we need to petition and get it banned

see the dangers of Dihydro monoxide HERE

nichomach · 05-08-2008, 03:59 PM

So we should destroy the RIAA and MPAA on environmental grounds and not just because they're a bunch of ******s, then?

Infinite · 05-08-2008, 03:59 PM

Anyone heard of VeryPC? Cause I know I havent.

A company worth 5 mil turns over 20k? Doesnt sound right to me.

nichomach · 05-08-2008, 04:00 PM

Yes, they've had some good reviews in the usual tech press:
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/search/?q=Ver...as=yes&x=0&y=0

CrazyMonkey · 05-08-2008, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by nichomach

So we should destroy the RIAA and MPAA on environmental grounds and not just because they're a bunch of ******s, then?

Are you a futuristicsexrobots fan? They have an awesome song i think you would like.

mycarsavw · 05-08-2008, 04:52 PM

"None of the Dragons we interested in investing an, initially at least, the whole thing looked entirely negative for Hopton and Very PC. But there’s always two sides to the story so we rang Hopton this morning to find out his perspective. "

He stood his ground, took some flack and made a great program that little bit better.

koocha · 05-08-2008, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by revol68

You sir are an idiot. Having Father Dougal in your avatar is quite fitting.

It's true. The earth has these periods of warming up and cooling down. It's a fact.

http://www.globalwarming.nottinghams...RMINGMYTH.html

http://www.junkscience.com/news/robinson.htm

http://www.abacus-news.co.uk/science.htm

EDIT:

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io-Tb7vTamY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsGgndK7F2k

And i'd appreciate not being called an idiot

pumpman · 05-08-2008, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by Infinite

Anyone heard of VeryPC? Cause I know I havent.

A company worth 5 mil turns over 20k? Doesnt sound right to me.

I believe the turnover was more than that and the net profit after tax all expenses ie wages rent etc was £20,000, In the IT niche sector I think that is very good, most large companies hope to achieve 10% so they are not to far from that.

As for the programme, if we put aside that it is a bit of a pantomime, they are venture capitalists. They themselves have done nothing special, they are parasites. I have never heard of any of the companies they run. if they are honest, they have done nothing special. A lot if it is to do with being in the right place and the right time.

Anyone of us given the right circumstances could do what they do, they are nothing special. At least the company highlighted has come up with a good idea. Hey is it was that simple, why have Dell, IBM etc not done so already, not because it not hard to do , but thye have seen an opportunity.

Fair play to them, I hope they continue to do well.

As for the rudeness shown by the dragons apart from Mr Khan who at least took the time to speak about the figures, they just made themselves look like boligerant imbeciles and there is an old addage in business, remember those on the way up as you may meet them on the way down.

The firm will be better people than the Dragons ever will, and their millions can't change that.

WoLFe · 05-08-2008, 09:04 PM

At the end of the day it's a TV show, God knows how much they (the dragons) get payed to appear in it anyway. It does seem to get more watered down every series as well, 'tis to be expected though.

I also agree with many points raised in the post above me.

Rosaline · 05-08-2008, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by koocha

It's true. The earth has these periods of warming up and cooling down. It's a fact.

[links to quackery removed for length and sanity]

And i'd appreciate not being called an idiot

I'm sure you would appreciate not being called an idiot, but having not listed http://realclimate.org, stating you support such overwhelmingly discredited beliefs, and worst of all - derailing a thread, you might well be asking for it

As for the Dragon's Den, we must remember that what they air on TV is a highly edited version of what I imagine must be talks that can last for an hour or more. The BBC did no favours to the dragons when they chose the "RS232" mention to broadcast, simply because it sounded all techy.

I went and looked at veryPC's product range. To be honest, none of it really excites me, their prices are mediocre, and their own hacks must be very impressive in order to justify using them in my opinion. I am also very dubious still about the practicalities of marketing Atom based PCs in the place of the mainstream processors, given the power differential (Nano, however, might be a different case entirely).

In the Hexus article, they state that they don't want to invest in patents. Assuming they could, to not do so would allow competitors to start up and compete directly against them. And if they can't, competitors are bound to try now.

But perhaps the truth of why they did not chose to invest is not just because of the ease of competition, but that of returns on investment. The IT sector has strong competition, low cost of entry, and because of which, profit margins that simply don't sound sexy. We have seen several systems builders collapse over the last year, making it clear that this is not a simple and safe market to be involved in.

revol68 · 05-08-2008, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by koocha

It's true. The earth has these periods of warming up and cooling down. It's a fact.

http://www.globalwarming.nottinghams...RMINGMYTH.html

http://www.junkscience.com/news/robinson.htm

http://www.abacus-news.co.uk/science.htm

EDIT:

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io-Tb7vTamY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsGgndK7F2k

And i'd appreciate not being called an idiot

yes and people get lung cancer who've never smoked, it' s entirely irrelevant.

Actually what is your point, first you claimed global warming was a myth now you are saying the earth does heat up?

Whether or not the world would be heating up somewhat without human produced greenhouse gases is not relevant, the fact is that our production of such gases does increase the global temperature and that has serious repurcussions for billions of people around the world.

and whether you appreaciate it or not you are an idiot, i afterall don't appreciate know nothing muppets claiming global warming is a myth and the vast scientific consensus is wrong because they have some links to some sh1tty youtube videos.

What next, intelligent design, HIV and AIDS denial or why not turn to history and become a Holocaust revisionist?