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The Almighty Buck Books Media Book Reviews

The MouseDriver Chronicles 92

Posted by timothy from the at-least-it's-not-a-putter dept.
Mark Welch writes: "'The MouseDriver Chronicles' chronicles a modestly successful startup whose mission was to build a product and sell it at a profit -- a concept that seemed almost obscene when the authors launched their new business in mid-1999.) I saw 'The MouseDriver Chronicles' in several bookstores, and passed because it sounded like it would be yet another story of dot-com failure. But finally I decided it looked like a 'fun read' and bought it, and I'm glad I did." Mark has a more complete review, and ChrisD adds his own reaction, below.
The Mousedriver Chronicles
author John Lusk, Kyle Harrison
pages 244
publisher Perseus Publishing
rating (See reviews)
reviewer Matt Welch, then chrisd
ISBN 0738205737
summary Blow-by-blow account of a high-tech startup; either great or awful according to the reviews below.

I'm adding The MouseDriver Chronicles as my number-two title (after Dot.Bomb, by by J. David Kuo) on my "must read" book list for entrepreneurs.

Dot.Bomb was more fun to read, in part because it was about a dot-com company that crashed and burned, and it's always more fun to write about failure than success.

Though The MouseDriver Chronicles isn't quite as fun to read, it is more useful for potential entrepreneurs. The book recounts many logistical and planning issues, in an exceptionally well-written style, using straightforward language and sharing more details (business and personal) than I'd expected (though the details seem to fade in the later chapters, presumably to protect the trade secrets of the continuing company).

Most important, The MouseDriver Chronicles is not about a crash-and-burn dot-com failure.

It's about a modestly successful startup whose mission was to build a product and sell it at a profit, a concept that seemed almost obscene when Lusk and Harrison launched their business in mid-1999. In January 2002, that concept (build a product and sell it at a profit) sounds much better, making the book more timely. Even if there are fewer entrepreneurs this year, they all should profit from reading The MouseDriver Chronicles.

The authors especially deserve credit for admitting how "ignorant" they were (in many respects) when they received their MBA degrees from Wharton, even after earlier careers working for consulting firms. They frankly disclose some embarrassing experiences, which should profit wise readers who may experience fewer mistakes as a result.

My main gripe with the book is that it ends before the end. I expected the final chapter to recount the company's failure, or its sale to a larger company, or some other "exit strategy" that would provide "closure" for the book.

Instead, the book's chronology ends in early 2001, but the company continues even today. Ending the book a year before it reached bookstores (in January 2002) seemed quite unfair (but that is the reality of the book-publishing industry).

Fortunately, the MouseDriver.com web site contains an archive of the author's "Insider" newsletter updates, so I could read "the rest of the story" (which is still unfolding, since the company is still plodding along).

Meanwhile slashdot author/editor chrisd has a different view:

I read an advance copy of The MouseDriver Chronicles (Hereafter referred to as TMD to save me from typing too much) and disliked it immensely. I'd been studiously avoiding writing a review of it as I take no joy from writing about how little I like something. However, since reader Mark Welch was kind enough to write a review (something we here at /. appreciate, thanks Mark!), I couldn't post it without giving my two cents.

As Mark noted, TMD is an enthusiastically, conversationally written book about the founding of a company to capitalize on a single idea. That idea is to make and market a mouse shaped like a Golf Club (Driver) head. While I'm not going to talk about carpal tunnel or repetitive stress injuries, I will say that this is a bad book if you want to be excited and have a view into what starting and running a company is like.

Basically, TMD is a book about two guys, one a former Wharton MBA student and the other an Andersen (not Arthur) Consulting guy who left their respective stations "to the disdain of their friends" to start their company making silly and painful looking mice. "To keep themselves motivated," they kept a diary which they somehow convinced Perseus to publish as this book.

I had to keep reminding myself while reading that this book is not about the product they are trying to sell, so much as about their experiences starting out. I really tried. The point of such a book is to live vicariously through the protagonists and learn something along the way. The only thing I learned was that they were very excited. I really don't want to know these guys, nor do business with them. (Not that they're knocking on the door to buy ads on OSDN, but I digress.) You'll learn very little about business and starting a company from this book. You'll also really not care much about what they do to sell thier product. There just doesn't seem to be much at stake.

They take some measure of pride in some of the "guerilla" marketing they chose to employ. Including crashing a benefit party at the SF metreon and sending "Personalized email (not spam) to publications and organizations that might take an interest in MouseDriver." Ugh.

The book isn't all bad. I mean, the writing isn't bad, much better than is usually seen in management books, and it flows pretty well. You don't pick up a book like this expecting Updike. It succeeds as the kind of book meant to be read while waiting at red lights. Also, it is clear that they see the book is just further promotion for their product and their company, something not usually so straightforward in this kind of book, so it's not crass in that manner.

But in the end, it's an empty book, devoid of useful content. Sort of like caffeine-free Diet Coke. Once you're done with it, all you know is that your glass is empty and your stomach has something in it. I mention this because this is not a cheap book; Barnes and Noble retails this book at $19, you can buy any number of nice things for $19.

Maybe if I was a golf nut this book might have been better.

How about this, if you want a scrappy startup book, go read defunct GO Corp CEO Jerry Kaplans book Start-up or if you want exhausting pacing, a Michael Lewis book -- you'll get more out of a chapter in either than from The MouseDriver Chronicles.

You can purchase The MouseDriver Chronicles from bn.com. Want to see your own review here? Just read the book review guidelines, then use Slashdot's handy submission form.
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The MouseDriver Chronicles More

The MouseDriver Chronicles

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  • And such a fine product they created... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by cacav ( 567890 ) on Thursday March 28, 2002 @10:38AM (#3241269)
    A mouse shaped like the head of a golf club driver? I enjoy golf, but creating a mouse the size and shape of a driver head doesn't strike me as being very comfortable to use. I'd be interested to see a quantification of what "modestly successful" means. How many of these things did they actually sell? I can't think of anyone I know who'd want to buy one.

    • Re:And such a fine product they created... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Marty200 ( 170963 ) on Thursday March 28, 2002 @10:50AM (#3241351)
      I enjoy golf, but creating a mouse the size and shape of a driver head doesn't strike me as being very comfortable to use

      Target market is not golfers/computer users, but people who have to buy them gifts.

      MG
      • Excellent point!

        I remember reading a story about GE (or Westinghouse or whatever) consumer research done in the late 60's regarding a newfangled-electrically-powered-knife-for-cutting- meat. They asked survey participants if they would use or buy one for themselves. The answer was a resounding "no".

        Remington (or GE or whatever) did similar consumer research on a similar concept but also asked the question "would you give this as a gift?"

        Shortly thereafter the electric carving knife, the fruit cake of personal appliances, was put on the market.

    • I was pretty disappointed once I read the review and realized that this company wasn't making drivers for the Mouse. Their business plan was foolish along the lines of "myextremefuneral.com". I suppose they don't teach common sense up at Wharton [wharton.edu].

    • Actually, I always assumed, while reading the book, that the product would be a crappy and ergonomically-incorrect mouse, especially reading the account of refining the design during the manufacturing process. And quite honestly, this isn't a product I'd ever buy for myself or anyone else.

      But as others have noted, specialty mice are moderately popular as gift items, and they work fine for infrequent computer use.* Just last week, I handled a MouseDriver for the first time,** and I immediately confirmed my original conclusion: the MouseDriver is not a very comfortable mouse to use.

      * I recall interviewing with a prestigious law firm back in 1987, and noticing that all the law firm partners had brand new, fast, powerful computers, while the secretaries all had ancient machines. I asked one partner how the computer was working out, and he confessed that he hadn't used it once in the month since it was installed. For him, a mouse shaped like a golf-driver would fit in well with the "computer as status symbol" mentality at the firm. (They offered me a job, but I declined.)

      ** I got the MouseDriver in a box from John Lusk, as a "thank you" for having posted this review at my web site and at Amazon.com (where you'll no longer find it, for reasons not relevant here). I'll donate the MouseDriver (and t-shirt and mouse pad) to be included in my Rotary Club [pnr-rotary.org]'s charity auction, on May 4 in Pleasanton. Note that this review was submitted to Slashdot back on February 3, and I certainly didn't expect any 'reward.'

  • Well.. (Score:1, Funny)

    by O2n ( 325189 )
    My mouse driver's chronicles are written by kodometer [freshmeat.net], but hey... I won't publish them any time soon. :)

  • Wrong audience (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Triv ( 181010 ) on Thursday March 28, 2002 @10:40AM (#3241276) Journal
    My manager got the ball to his trackball replaced with one that looks like a golfball. I don't like him much. (rimshot)

    Seriously tho, I'm pretty sure this book wasn't meant to appeal to the techie sector - it's designed to get through to people with enough casual knowledge of computers to fake intelligent conversation and enough of a passion for golf to think a driver-shaped mouse is a nifty idea, (coughcough management coughcough) not the other way around.

    Triv

    • Re:Wrong audience (Score:1, Flamebait)

      by klaun ( 236494 )
      "it's designed to get through to people with enough casual knowledge of computers to fake intelligent conversation"

      I really hope this doesn't mean you think people need a knowledge of computers to have an intelligent conversation.

      I think the vast majority of intelligent conversation doesn't require any computer knowledge at all.

  • Differing Opinions (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Skidge ( 316075 ) on Thursday March 28, 2002 @10:44AM (#3241303)
    Thanks for the differing viewpoints in the two reviews. It's kind of nice seeing something from two sides when reading something. Often, I hate to admit it, a review will taint my experience with something, so now if I decide to read this thing, maybe the opposites taints will cancel each other out.
    • One was caught up wondering where the dot-com lessons were and one was hung up on the fact it wasn't a mouse he wanted to use.

      Neither one told me jack about these guys' business experience, their business acumen, strategy and so on.

      Better would have been someone with real experience starting companies and selling things who could have given a useful critique of their business experience instead of a dot-com refugee and tech weenie.
    • Absolutely... I now feel completely indifferent about this book.

  • So... (Score:4, Funny)

    by kidtexas ( 525194 ) on Thursday March 28, 2002 @10:50AM (#3241350)
    now they are making even more money? They are probably selling more books than MouseDrivers.

  • Picture (Score:4, Informative)

    by Spock the Vulcan ( 196989 ) on Thursday March 28, 2002 @10:56AM (#3241392)
    If you want to see what this "product" looks like, take a look here [mousedriver.com]. I wouldn't be seen dead with this thing, if you ask me.

    • Re:Picture (Score:1, Redundant)

      by shadow303 ( 446306 )
      It could be worse. At least it doesn't have that vulgar m word on it (i.e. Microsoft).
      • Hey... Microsoft writes shitty software... but they make the best mouse (Intellimouse Explorer Optical). The original natural keyboard rocks too.
        • I guess it's just a matter of preference but I would say that Microsoft is second best at making input devices. I tend to prefer Logitech mice.
        • ... with the [6] key on the wrong hand.


          Geez! It's natural only to people who can't
          type anyway.


          And what's worse, every cheap keyboard
          manufacturer in taiwan copied their mistake!

          • Not at all true, I saw a 'natural' type keyboard just the other day with the 6 in the right spot, some extra buttons in the wasted space in the middle, and a touchpad under the arrow keys. I'd buy one except I can't afford it at the moment. Even so, how often do you use the 6? It doesn't really bother me that much, it's not like they put the 'e' key in the wrong spot.
          • I don't mean those stupid new "Natural Elite" pieces of crap. The old much larger Natural... with the 6 key in the right spot.

    • Re:Picture (Score:2, Informative)

      by ArcticChicken ( 172915 )
      A picture's worth a thousand words alright. However, the next sentence or two should highlight the fact that it's only PS/2 capable. Check their FAQ [mousedriver.com]. No serial or USB capability - not even if you have the correct adapter.
    • To my eyes it looks similar in shape to the Logitech Cordless Mouseman Optical [logitech.com].

      Personally, I don't see the point of novelty mice either. Give me an ergonomically designed mouse with a scroll wheel and at least one thumb button.

    • I disagree. It looks quite nice. Put on a nice titanium shalf, and it would make a lovely golf club [allinonegolfclub.com].
      • Wow. Your powers of observation are amazing and keen. The whole point of the mouse is to look like a golf club driver head, and your brilliant input into the discussion is:

        "Heaaaay, y'all... he'uck, it looks like one of dem dere golf club ends! He'uck!"

        --
        Evan "Sarcastic at the end of the day, apparantly"

    • But my uncle might, he's a golf fanatic. This thing doesn't look that bad (it's not a 3 iron, it's a driver) and even looks quite usable.

      In fact, I'm thinking of sending this url to my Aunt right now!
  • ...selling golf club shaped mouses I will be convinced the world is just a very bad dream.

    Although reading /. at -1 is quiet convincing as well...

  • From another perspective... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by lw54 ( 73409 ) on Thursday March 28, 2002 @11:05AM (#3241455)
    They take some measure of pride in some of the "guerilla" marketing they chose to employ. Including crashing a benefit party at the SF metreon and sending "Personalized email (not spam) to publications and organizations that might take an interest in MouseDriver." Ugh.

    For lots of companies in the business world, these are perfectly valid practices, and I, for one, appreciate them relating their experiences to us. It's not their responsibility that we "get" something from their message. That's our responsibility. They're simply stating what happened to them.

    This book is proof that a seemingly strange idea can brew a successful business. A lot of startups don't have the priveledge of having several years of business behind them. Books like this are perfect for most startups on the Internet.

  • The first lesson for a start-up should be to cut costs whenever possible :-).

    So if someone wants to read it for their start-up dreams,
    they can get it cheaper [half.com]

    Sig: What Happened To The Censorware Project (censorware.org) [sethf.com]

  • DotBomb Myth (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Sean Clifford ( 322444 ) on Thursday March 28, 2002 @11:16AM (#3241509) Journal

    First, I haven't read The MouseDriver Chronicles, but I'll keep an eye out for it next time I'm in a massively huge bookstore to do a bit of flip and read.

    It's about a modestly successful startup whose mission was to build a product and sell it at a profit, a concept that seemed almost obscene when Lusk and Harrison launched their business in mid-1999.

    Okay, I have to take issue with this. I'm sure there were a few companies that wanted to do nothing more than hype, pump, IPO, and dump. However, for the most part, these companies had products to sell or services to offer. The biggest reasons why most "hot" startups tanked was because of:

    1. Unrealistic Expectations - Assuming the cost of acquiring customers could be reclaimed via customer loyalty. If it costs $60 to get a customer, but you only make a total of $20 from that customer then you're gonna tank.
    2. Poor Regulation - letting companies that underwrite an IPO act as cheerleaders, having their "analysts" offering buy recommendations on CNNfi (without disclosing their relationships). A lot of deregulation fueled the monster.
    3. Members Only IPO - Sweetheart IPO deals for the "select few" that were little more than baldfaced bribes (e.g. offering stock at IPO prices for quid-pro-quo when the stock has already increased 500%). Locking out small investors from IPOs and ensuring that only favorites get IPO allocations.

    It wasn't because companies weren't built around capitalist ideals like selling services or products at a profit. Investors expected to get a return - day traders and most VCs were looking to cash in on the trading action.

    Yeah, there was a lot of mismanagement and foolish spending going on to fuel balloon-like expansion, building out infrastructure to support an anticipated emerging market, and other silly stuff. These activities keep the company busy doing everything except serving customers and bringing in revenue. If your company is growing so fast that you're busting ass just to keep up with the expansion, then you're not minding the store. Yeah, there might be a flurry of activity, but it's just wheel-spinning. Do it right and get rich slow.

    • I sort of thought the key word was "build" -- most of the companies I recall from a few years back either sold services, sold software, retailed existing products, or were somehow going to grow money. These guys may have a goofy product, but it sounds like they are actually manufacturing something and selling it, a dreadfully "old-economy" way of doing things.
      • Throughout the first review (as most people did I'm sure) I thought it was about a software driver for a mouse (and I wondered how they were going to make money out of it)! As to a mouse shaped like a golf driver - well I'm surprised anyone would buy that - but then again a lot of people buy novelty mouse mats too.
        • I certainly agree that it's a dumb product, and an even dumber name (do you suppose they shipped a mouse driver with the MouseDriver?)

          I suspect that previous speculation was bang-on -- it's a gift item.

        • i was really confused until i went to their website. i was trying to figure out why a company who makes mouse drivers would start in 1999. the product is silly at best, i'm actually surprised they are selling enough to make money.
          • Oh I actually read the second review & then it dawned on me - perhaps the reason they're selling books about it is because it doesn't make enough money. :o)

  • Exit strategy?? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 28, 2002 @11:16AM (#3241515)
    I expected the final chapter to recount the company's failure, or its sale to a larger company, or some other "exit strategy"

    Spoken like a true dot-commer. It used to be, people built their own companies for the long haul, instead of overreaching or trying to cash out as quickly as possible. Seems to me the whole point of this book is that these guys rejected the dot-com philosophy and made their money the old-fashioned way. Of course their company is still running.

    • The real issue was that while reading a book, even a nonfiction book, one expects a buildup to a climax and then resolution, and an "ending."

      A good analogy here, is a movie I saw late last year -- it was beautifully filmed, and quite enjoyable, but then the movie ended without resolving any of the tangled plot lines. (Of course, I am speaking about "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.").

      I knew the movie was the first part of a trilogy; I expected more of an "ending" while reading the MouseDriver Chronicles.

  • Odd Way to do Business on the Web (Score:3, Informative)

    by baxissimo ( 135512 ) on Thursday March 28, 2002 @11:22AM (#3241550)
    Quote from the mousedriver.com web page: "WE WILL NOT SELL DIRECTLY TO CUSTOMERS OR DISTRIBUTORS!!!" Doesn't that cut out just about anybody who'd want to buy it?

    Seriously, though, if they're going to go to the trouble of making such a web site for their company, they should at least let people buy them on line. What's the point in making the product so hard for WebSurfin' Joe to get his hands on?
    • These guys have probably done the math and figured out that it's not profitable to set up the infrastructure for direct sales with only one low volume product. They probably figure that its cheapest to just sell directly to the retailers. Unless we see the numbers, we can't say if they are right or wrong.
    • This is doubly odd when their FAQ says:

      Where can I purchase MouseDriver?

      You have two options! You can either purchase directly from our website (just click on the 'Ordering' button on the left and fill out the required information) or you can purchase from one of many retailers selling MouseDriver.

    • I do agree with this point -- if this book is intended to help sell their product, they don't do a very good follow-through.

      But I assume the problem is the traditional one of "channel conflict" -- if you sell direct, some dealers will gripe that you are competing with them (even if you sell only at list price with a huge shipping fee).

      To their credit, the authors do provide an "ordering" page linking to Amazon and three specialty merchants where the product can be purchased online (and I assume they'd add any dealer who asked to be listed on that page).

      Finally, I love how Slashdot posted these two reviews together, and I would encourage this in the future whenever possible.

    • The mouse driver people don't sell /personalized/ versions of their product directly. They sell the normal non-personalized one directly via their website. It's not cost effective for them to sell logo-imprinted versions in small lots, and it's easier for them to outsource the logo work.

  • businesses don't need to be revolutionary (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Laxitive ( 10360 ) on Thursday March 28, 2002 @12:22PM (#3241971) Journal
    This book probably has some insights to offer for a lot of people. I think the first thing to take away from this book is that to build a successful business, you do NOT have to "revolutionize the world". The vast majority of successful businesses don't fundamentally change the way you or I live. They are successful not because they've done something that no-one's thought of before, but because they put effort into scoping out the market, keeping track of accounting, figuring out the logistics of where the money is going to come from and where it's going to go, and good marketing. Want an example of a completely mundane, yet extremely successful company? go here [rubbermaid.com] They aren't revolutionary, they don't change culture or society, they don't bring people together. They make damn good tupperware (and other stuff). -Laxitive
  • Im thinking of selling golf clubs shaped like mice. What do you think? : )
  • It succeeds as the kind of book meant to be read while waiting at red lights.

    ...Who reads books while waiting at red lights? You must be the jerk in front of me who I'm always honking at to wake up... Maybe you should try switching to books on tape or Audible...

  • Mark Welch wrote...

    It's about a modestly successful startup whose mission was to build a product and sell it at a profit

    You missed their business model completely.

    Their actual business model was probably something more like this:

    a) Create product and sell at little or no profit.
    b) Sign book deal chronicling a)
    c) Collect $$$ on book deal and royalties

    I figure that's the only possibility since we all know that the only way to make money these days is cross licencing deals, book deals, collecting and selling customer information, lawsuits, and monopolies.

    -S

  • Comment removed based on user account deletion

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