The Industry Standard - CafeScribe acquired by October 2009 - Comments

Don't set your hopes too

Toby Long — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:02:44 -0800

Don't set your hopes too high just yet. I have used this program in an online course. It is an absolute, pathetic joke of a program. It needs some major attention if anyone expects it to succeed.

@Eric, my point was that

David Kuan — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:33:59 -0700

@Eric, my point was that this prediction probably should not have been put into play since the news was broken prior. I only joined TIS on March 28 and was still learning my ways around this site. I have seen articles about this for several months now (but after the prediction was put into play) but have dismissed it given the date conflicts (in hindsight, I should have brought it up earlier). It wasn't as "quiet" as you have indicated. A simple Google search on "Follet Cafescribe" will generate multiple results (examples below):

March 24: http://www.mmischools.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=13595
March 24: http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-education-services-firm-follett-acq...
March 27: http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/wndReader.asp?ArticleId=41365
http://www.econtentmag.com/Articles/ArticleReader.aspx?ArticleID=41370
and many more ... (posted before and after 3/31)....

Both myself and Bradley (probably others) have had suggestions that became moot after news broke as such could not become a playable prediction. IMO, the rightful thing to do is to nullify the prediction (i.e. nullify all gains and losses) and refund all bets.

The prediction was put into

Eric Hill812251 — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:06:34 -0700

The prediction was put into play on 3/31. The release (at least on CafeScirbe's site) was issued on 3/24. @David,did you see the news on this prior to 3/31?

@TIS, I saw that article but

David Kuan — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:12:34 -0700

@TIS, I saw that article but given that the article wasposted on 3/24 BEFORE this prediction was put into play on 3/31, it seemed rather odd for the news to be considered viable. Just odd.

It's absolutely baffling

Eric Hill812251 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:28:17 -0700

It's absolutely baffling that the acquisition of CafeScribe wasn't more widely reported (or spread by Fourteen40's PR firm, or Follett Corporation's for that matter). ?!

Someone just loaded up in

David Kuan — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:24:32 -0700

Someone just loaded up in favor causing an 30%+ spike on no news. Odd!

CafeScribe acquired by October 2009

The Standard — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:19:31 -0700

Early Judgment: In possibly one of the quietest press releases ever, TIS member Bradley Baker discovered that CafeScribe had indeed been acquired nearly four months ago on March 24, 2008. -- The Industry Standard

CafeScribe may be just getting off the ground now, but it has the potential to make a big impact on the academic world. The Industry Standard predicts that it will be acquired before October 1, 2009.

There are a number of social networking, publishing, and media industry that would potentially have an interest in this service and its users. Once it gets out of beta and starts to pick up large numbers of users, these companies will take notice and one will make an offer that parent company Fourteen40, Inc., will accept.

The criterion for this prediction coming true is a public announcement of the acquisition before October 1, 2009. This prediction will close approximately one week before the judgement date, or when an announcement is made, whichever comes first. (Note: This prediction is part of The Industry Standard special feature, Opinion: 10 'Net services that will succeed, and 10 that will probably fail. To see the related article, click here. To read the rest of the special feature, and see the many related predictions, click here.)