I wouldn't be too quick to call shenanigans on this. Information marketing is a huge business.

The average joe doesn't make a lot of money because they get the "information" part but not the "marketing" part.

Look at his salesletter -- it's traditional direct marketing copy. Big on the hype, big on the "getting you emotionally" involved. That's how you convert eyeballs into sales. (Wait on the page until you get a pop-up with a discount, another big technique.)

I'm betting he has lots of affiliates helping to get eyeballs to his site, too.

I'd believe he's making every bit as much as Cringely says he does.

There might actually be more people interested in parrots than in how to run a small software company efficiently.

Indeed. Particularly when you consider that the average small software company doesn't live for 25 to 70 years.

Even though I don't have a problem with my parrot, I'm acutely aware of the possibility that my executor might someday have a problem with my parrot. And I've got one of the shorter-lived species!

(I've written unclearly: I believe the numbers now, but I didn't at first).

Link?