The promise of the Internet was simple, but incredibly powerful: to be a medium through which we could connect and collaborate, for mutual benefit. It's happening. As the Net matures, we are learning to write as easily and fluently as we read.

At Bayosphere, we're going to create a community fueled by that notion. We will reflect -- and reflect on -- the news, needs and ideas of the San Francisco Bay Area and especially the technology sphere that is the prime economic driver of the area.

So this is why Dan seemed so coy with us -- we've got competing products! Let see: Media commentary, check. Focusing on local business, check. Expecting people to give you quality content for free, check. Having no obvious revenue stream, check. Now, of course, there are differences: Dan is not "The Editor," whereas we hand that title out like candy. Dan probably won't curse like a sailor, or care what San Francisco politicians have on their iPods, or make jokes about Sean Penn packing heat. And while we just kinda decided that we were journalists, he has years of experience and a degree from j-school (whatever that's worth).

Anyway, we'll keep an eye on Bayosphere (as will Metblogs, for sure) and make sure that we'll be entirely different (and, we hope, better). If Dan thinks he can just waltz into this market with his fancy coverage from Slashdot and Joi Ito and kick our ass, well, he's got another thing coming. We hope we can work Dan to figure out how we're all going to start paying people to write for us.

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