I didn't mean anchor; that's an implementation detail. If it were JavaScript it could just grab it from the location and no anchor anchor tag (as opposed to external link anchor tag) would be needed. I meant fragment identifier. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragment_identifier Hash tag is just quicker to say.
They did not build the business this way. That was something done years ago by a single contractor without their knowledge, and it had an insignificant effect on their growth.
Personally, I give Airbnb the benefit of the doubt. No question. I think very highly of the company and the founders.
However, when I read your comment, it bothered me (specifically the bit about the rogue contractor). It gave me the exact same feeling as seeing Rupert Murdoch on the stand saying something to the effect of - "No, I do not take responsibility for my companies wrong-doings, it was a rogue employee.."
The only time I've really learned from a mistake as an entrepreneur is when I've had to look at myself and take 100% responsibility. 100%.
Who hired that employee or contractor? Who hired the people who hired the contractor? Why were they hired? Who put the hiring processes in place? Why did your systems not weed this behavior out as soon as it started? In every organization, there is only one answer to that question - the leader.
An entrepreneur must be ultimately accountable while they are being relentlessly resourceful. I feel it is so important to communicate this message to our current and future leaders - both for the sake of their ability to grow, and for the sake of the lives of those they touch.
Thank you for coming forth with a statement on this. I don't remember seeing one from you when this issue first cropped up, which really didn't look good. A lot of people referenced your "founders should push the envelope" phrase in your absence to explain it, which in my opinion made it look even worse. I value your word a lot more than I do theirs since they don't have a known reputation (with me). Culpable or not, that incident still left a bad taste in my mouth.
>EDIT: Since comment scores are not visible, I will note that this is being upvoted, downvoted, upvoted, downvoted. I would be curious as to what is so seemingly controversial. Any thoughts?
Show me a parent who doesn't think their kid is "gifted".
Upvoted. I sort of "forget" people here don't really know me. In other circles, it's perfectly okay for me to say that. I used to give a lot of advice in "gifted" circles on the internet. He's actually had some testing. I was a very minor presenter at a gifted convention thingy. A presentation there and conversation with the presenter (big name in testing circles and such) clued me. (Due to professional ethics, she could not give me a number but did remark "It will be okay because you homeschool"...in other words "My sympathies. You have quite a challenge on your hands.") ...blah blah blah.
I don't think he's "gifted". I think he's a huge pain in the butt. But I also adore him.
