bonforte

That dog is a girl and was pretty squirrelly 60 lbs lab for the photo and hard to hold. I checked with her if she wouldn't mind me holding her "by the groin" and got her consent.

So true: stay away from Jeff Bonforte. Wait...I'm Jeff Bonforte. Dammit, this is going to be harder than I thought.

Did you buy Xobni One? If not, it runs 100% locally. If you did pay for Xobni One, then your data is backed up to our servers (and linked with your Xobni for Outlook, if you use that).

Some requests are made to FB and Linkedin to link profile photos and title to contacts...otherwise, no contact with the internet is needed.

You might be right about that. My comments are a bit obsequious. I am a big fan of Gabor, and I don't have a bunch of bad stuff to say about him. But I can see how it might come across as fawning.

FWIW, I don't have an MBA. I am an entrepreneur for 15 years. Nor am I a "marketing type". I am a classic geek and a product guy. I started coding when I was 11 on an Apple II+. I have spent every penny I have made on gadgets and computers since I was 13. I coded into college and then focused on product management. I have founded two startups, headed two and worked for one other. I have worked in the Valley for 12 years.

Nor do I think there is that attitude at Xobni of anything other than love and respect for engineering. We are an engineering and product focused startup. Our head of marketing is one of the founders who has a degree in engineering.

Gabor is an ambitious, super smart guy. He wants to do his own startup. We can look for more sinister motives, but it is just that simple.

As far as "the same condescending attitude", I think you are misreading my comment. Gabor wants to do his own startup. I don't blame him, and as an entrepreneur I admire his gumption, which in this case is even bigger, as he is leaving a startup that is doing well. He certainly passes the first test of being an entrepreneur...he is consciously and rationally adding risk into his life.

I do tell anyone that asks me about doing their own startup, "It is harder than it looks." I think most founders would agree that behind all the sexy stuff, startups are physically and emotionally draining, and for many they are financially taxing, too.

It is fun to think there is great drama happening behind close doors. In this case, it just isn't there. I consider Gabor a friend. I would work with him again. And I suspect there will always be a job for him at Xobni if he ever wants to come back (or not leave).

You have funded one company that is helping to "fix the inbox", Xobni.