Some events in history crackle in your memory at the mere mention of their dates—Dec. 7, 1941; Nov. 22, 1963; or, more happily, July 20,1969. In the Internet business era, two dates leap out—Aug. 9,1995 and Apr. 14,2000. They are bookends to an era. Five years and two months ago Netscape floated its IPO. The deal priced at $28, but recorded a first trade of $71. The Silicon Valley Web-browser startup coasted to the 4 p.m. bell at $58, and a market cap of $2.7 billion. Thus started the Internet boom and its crazy build-market-share-now, show-profit-next-century attitude toward financing.
展开▼
