Are you sure about that? We're on a network, and I suspect most of us are building networking tools. Networking is a lot easier now.

Plus, I think networking is a skill, not a service.

And think about the cost- not just the equity, but the strings. It would be cheaper to pay a highly networked individual a fee for making introductions than getting VC funding.

I understand the perspective of someone who has no entre into what seems like a closed community. But having had to learn the skill of networking (and still not being great at it) I've found that anyone who you should partner with, sell to, or do business with, is open to at least hearing enough to understand what your value is. Once I realized this, I started talking to CEOs of companies that I would meet at various places - conferences, on planes, cold calling, etc. A few have not understood, some were a bit put off, but this is the reaction maybe %5 of the time. Everyone else has at least thought about what I've said, and even when they've said "no", a good number of times they've given me a name of someone I should be talking to instead.

I think by itself, this isn't a good reason to pursue VC funding. Advice and introductions are much less expensive elsewhere.

Network is not the network in computer scince it is the people who connects and share the knowledge or atleast assert your idea. It is not possible to all that they just talk to everybody or they are very few frens but they are brilliant in creating the products, for such people VC funding and getting into their network is more usefull. And doing so you can get the pulse/need of the people and your ideas sharpens and you know you need to close the doors.

"It would be cheaper to pay a highly networked individual a fee for making introductions "

Do you really think a bootstrapping company could pay someone like PG what his time is worth? Letting him invest is a way of paying him, but it's even better because he doesn't collect unless you'r successful.

I'm not convinced being funded is necessary either, just that you have to weigh the advantages and disadvantages, and do the best with what you have.

You answered your own question, and I'm not talking about YC anyway. I'm talking about VCs, and in particular the strings that come with them.

My purpose is to point out the disadvantages, because the assumption seems to be that its always a good thing to get VC funds.

I've seen a number of articles here about how to "go it alone" and why it's better, although maybe I notice them more because that's pretty much the only avenue open to me, so I keep an eye out for it.