Comments on: The 2008 GRA/TAG Business Launch Competition Fiasco http://blog.jeffhaynie.us/the-2008-gratag-business-launch-competition-fiasco.html Jeff Haynie on business and technology in Silicon Valley Wed, 30 Jun 2010 03:47:02 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: John B. Frank http://blog.jeffhaynie.us/the-2008-gratag-business-launch-competition-fiasco.html/comment-page-1#comment-1026 John B. Frank Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:32:29 +0000 http://blog.jeffhaynie.us/?p=203#comment-1026 Having been a founding shareholder of Pay By Touch, which acquired ATMDirect (then based in Irvine, TX) from Robert Zieglar, I know a few things about this company. I see some Twitter posts regarding "PIN-OFF's" and waiting for rules and regulations. The rules and regulations were simple. Can ATMDirect take $1.00 off my debit card and then put it back? They declined to participate. Does (can) anyone really believe that after spending millions of dollars and close to a decade trying to process a PIN Debit transaction without swiping the card that all of sudden, since March 2008 they figured it out? Then why did they decline to participate in the PIN-OFF? You HAVE TO swipe the card and hence capture the PVV and PVKI which is located on the magnetic stripe. Otherwise the PVV and PVKI would not be submitted in the data string, AND said data can (as of today) only be obtained by reading the magstripe. One more point...did anyone besides me notice that the CEO of Harbor Payments is on the Board of Directors for TAG and that the "founder" (sic) of ATMDirect was the co-founder of Harbor Payments. TAG got TASED. Having been a founding shareholder of Pay By Touch, which acquired ATMDirect (then based in Irvine, TX) from Robert Zieglar, I know a few things about this company.

I see some Twitter posts regarding “PIN-OFF’s” and waiting for rules and regulations. The rules and regulations were simple. Can ATMDirect take $1.00 off my debit card and then put it back? They declined to participate.

Does (can) anyone really believe that after spending millions of dollars and close to a decade trying to process a PIN Debit transaction without swiping the card that all of sudden, since March 2008 they figured it out? Then why did they decline to participate in the PIN-OFF?

You HAVE TO swipe the card and hence capture the PVV and PVKI which is located on the magnetic stripe. Otherwise the PVV and PVKI would not be submitted in the data string, AND said data can (as of today) only be obtained by reading the magstripe.

One more point…did anyone besides me notice that the CEO of Harbor Payments is on the Board of Directors for TAG and that the “founder” (sic) of ATMDirect was the co-founder of Harbor Payments.

TAG got TASED.

]]> By: Grayson http://blog.jeffhaynie.us/the-2008-gratag-business-launch-competition-fiasco.html/comment-page-1#comment-1023 Grayson Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:25:58 +0000 http://blog.jeffhaynie.us/?p=203#comment-1023 Yep, great post Jeff. Some things just need sayin'. That's all I'm sayin'. And if folk are looking for media that works, in social media terms, media created and promoted and used by someone who actually USES social media tools themselves (as opposed to all these PR/marketing/video production types running around Atlanta who claim to know all about social media but have yet to ever actually USE any of the tools themselves (blogs, YouTube, RSS, Twitter, Pownce, etc.) y'all give a holler or a text to: 404-216-0387. Yep, great post Jeff. Some things just need sayin’. That’s all I’m sayin’.

And if folk are looking for media that works, in social media terms, media created and promoted and used by someone who actually USES social media tools themselves (as opposed to all these PR/marketing/video production types running around Atlanta who claim to know all about social media but have yet to ever actually USE any of the tools themselves (blogs, YouTube, RSS, Twitter, Pownce, etc.) y’all give a holler or a text to: 404-216-0387.

]]> By: Lance Weatherby http://blog.jeffhaynie.us/the-2008-gratag-business-launch-competition-fiasco.html/comment-page-1#comment-1022 Lance Weatherby Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:44:12 +0000 http://blog.jeffhaynie.us/?p=203#comment-1022 I like the thought of splitting this across the finalists as well. While the people that made it that far felt like the experience made them winners, a little cash would be great for making it that far. I like the thought of splitting this across the finalists as well. While the people that made it that far felt like the experience made them winners, a little cash would be great for making it that far.

]]> By: Scott http://blog.jeffhaynie.us/the-2008-gratag-business-launch-competition-fiasco.html/comment-page-1#comment-1021 Scott Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:05:01 +0000 http://blog.jeffhaynie.us/?p=203#comment-1021 Jeff - great post! You are right - for every person that has posted on this topic there are 50 that aren't. I was down at the ATDC yesterday and had 6 or 7 people come up to me talking about my original post and sharing their thoughts on the issue. One of them was a TAG board member (who was shocked, by the way). I think we've all been consistent in the fact that it would be in the best interests ofTAG/GRA and the community if they embrace this and engage in the discussion. I really like your idea of splitting the prize across multiple startups - especially given that we are talking about technology startups here. Good stuff. Cheers. Scott Jeff – great post!

You are right – for every person that has posted on this topic there are 50 that aren’t. I was down at the ATDC yesterday and had 6 or 7 people come up to me talking about my original post and sharing their thoughts on the issue. One of them was a TAG board member (who was shocked, by the way).

I think we’ve all been consistent in the fact that it would be in the best interests ofTAG/GRA and the community if they embrace this and engage in the discussion.

I really like your idea of splitting the prize across multiple startups – especially given that we are talking about technology startups here. Good stuff.

Cheers.
Scott

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