

Z Kombinator - hassy
http://zkombinator.com

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TazeTSchnitzel
The sad thing is that the Samwer brothers are real people who actually do
this, and they're quite successful at it too:
[http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-02-29/the-
germany-...](http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-02-29/the-germany-
website-copy-machine)

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czzarr
why is that sad? Silicon VAlley claims ideas are worthless and execution is
everything, until someone actually copies their idea.

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TazeTSchnitzel
Well, I'm not Silicon Valley. I just don't like the concept of simply copying
someone else's idea as a business model, because you're piggybacking on
someone else's idea, and it's uncreative.

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ArekDymalski
I wonder what is your opinion about barbers, shop-owners, car manufactures or
basically any business outside of the internet. I think that there's big
difference between copying the business model and the product/service itself.

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TazeTSchnitzel
It's more copying a company, its business model, idea, everything down to the
fine details that bothers me. Not so much copying a business model or an idea.

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Aaronontheweb
Obviously a parody, but it underscores a historical trend of overseas
investors pouring money into clones of US companies without any substantial
innovation or changes.

One question I'm struggling with... Is a clone a legitimate (abstract)
business if the differentiator between clone and U.S. original is the
experience working with European / Asian customers and catering to their needs
specifically?

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alexpenny
He's making fun of the Samwer brothers, which would mean he probably doesn't
think clones are legitimate business.

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Aaronontheweb
That much is obvious. Not asking him. Asking the HN crowd.

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railsjedi
Haha, great little parody.

Timing of it may have something to do with our little stunt yesterday:
<http://ncombinator.com>

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zinssmeister
do you regret calling it NCombinator? Seeing as you could have avoided
slipping into this clone mindset or does it not really matter to you guys?

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railsjedi
Doesn't really matter. Our goal was to get some early attention. Once we build
the community up we can change the name and turn it into something real.

Right now it's just an idea and the only platform we had to generate the
sufficient early interest was a ridiculous name and launch.

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Eduard
If YCombinator thought globally, Z Kombinator wouldn't have a chance in the
first place ;-)

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Mz
With a German American background, I hear that like someone with a strong
accent mispronouncing the word "the" as "zee". It adds another dimension of
humor for me.

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heretohelp
As a German-American: you mean like "sie"?

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Mz
Um, not really what I was thinking. To me that sounds less harsh/strong than
what I had in mind.

I guess it depends. I am imagining a very harsh accent. Some folks in my
family pronounce ich like "ish", others closer to "ick" and then some do a
more gutteral sound like you find in loch (a la loch ness monster). So, uh,
maybe.

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danvoell
Where is Z Hacker News?

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swapsmagic
what the ....

