Paul, I agree that this is the definition of Google at 6 months, or any startup for that matter. This was an attempt at snarky humor.
My larger point is that advertising is one model for new startups...but not the only model. Advertising is effective when you have a large, targeted audience, with a willingness to buy/explore ads. Some audiences are too small, or so diverse and random that ads will not work.
Advertising is one model for web startups and the monetization of Web 2.0 apps., but there indeed others:
subscriptions for premium services
subscriptions for access
selling to web giant, like Google, etc.
advertising through alliances and referrals, beyond simple adsense
My larger point is that advertising is one model for new startups...but not the only model. Advertising is effective when you have a large, targeted audience, with a willingness to buy/explore ads. Some audiences are too small, or so diverse and random that ads will not work.
There are other revenue models that will work.
Don