The Start-Up 3 Beautiful Code Read online

  The Start-Up

  Episode 3: Beautiful Code

  Sadie Hayes

  BACKLIT: Fiction Forward

  www.BackLitFiction.com

  Copyright © 2011 Backlit Fiction, LLC

  Backlit and the colophon are registered trademarks of Backlit Fiction, LLC.

  The Start-Up

  Episode 3: Beautiful Code

  www.Doreye.com

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book is a work of the author’s experience and opinion. The names, characters, places, incidents and events portrayed in this book are fictitious and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2011 Backlit Fiction, LLC

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical without the express written permission of the author. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. For more information regarding permission, contact Backlit Fiction, LLC, Attention: Permissions Department, [email protected].

  The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  Cover Designed by: Arsonal Design, LLC

  www.Arsonal.com

  Published by: Backlit Fiction, LLC

  www.BacklitFiction.com

  ISBN: 978-1-937704-11-7

  www.Doreye.com

  The Start-Up series

  Episode 1: The Start-Up

  Episode 2: The Anti-Social Network

  Episode 3: Beautiful Code

  Coming Spring 2012:

  Episode 4: Reverse Engineering

  www.Doreye.com

  Critical Acclaim for The Start-Up

  “Who knew Silicon Valley could be sexy? Sadie Hayes’ debut ebook series The Start-Up describes the real side of Silicon Valley and how its power corrupts. You will tear through this page-turner and will be begging for more!” –Amy Gleason

  “In The Start-Up we see the beginning of Adam and Amelia Dory’s climb to wealth and power… This fast-paced novel has provocative characters trying to figure out how to navigate a world controlled by money and bad intentions. I dare you to put it down!” –Becky Julian

  “Silicon Valley and cliffhangers may be strange bedfellows, but Palo Alto writer Sadie Hayes debut, The Start-Up, is an unexpectedly addictive new novel that combines high tech hi-jinks with high tech publishing: a serial eNovel with monthly new releases planned.” –Gary Griffiths

  “Sadie Hayes is on her way to becoming a new kind of bestseller - an eBook bestseller.” –Grady Harp

  “Exciting, entertaining, and informative - The Start-Up is a must read for anyone interested in the fast paced worlds of entrepreneurship, Silicon Valley, and venture capital.” -J.R. Sedivy, Chairman and CEO, Analytika, Inc.

  “A well-crafted, fast-moving tale of the conflict which arises when honesty and integrity confront the wealth and oft-corrupted power of the high-tech world of Silicon Valley. An excellent read.” Frederick J. Masterman, author of Season of the Plant

  “Sadie Hayes provides a screen shot of technology’s sordid underbelly in this riveting e-book novella.” –Bill Bentrim,

  “Start to finish it holds your interest and Hayes’ writing is spectacular and absolutely breath-taking! The way the story was presented was like watching a movie...an incredibly good one. I am begging for more Sadie Hayes! A job well done and I would highly recommend it. This is a fun and fast-pace novel that I think most will thoroughly enjoy!” – Jess, Sit Here and Read

  “Sadie Hayes has blown me away with this series. This is something new in the YA genre…get to your nearest Ereader device and buy these books.” – Courtney Wyant, Courtney’s Book Nook

  “The Start-Up is a short read, and the dialogue is sharply realistic. This story is something that I’ve never seen in Young Adult fiction, so it’s different and unique. I highly recommend it to someone who enjoys stories about backstabbing, pretentious college students who are involved in the business world. I’m totally looking forward to reading the second installment, The Anti-Social Network.” – Lauren Nicole, Books From a Shelf

  “The Start Up is particularly awesome, if I must say so myself. The novel was light and funny and carefree, yet it still reminded us of the sinister ways of society. It was terrifically well written, and extremely witty, I practically smiled through the whole thing!” –Dana Hilgers, Dana Does Read

  “Deep-seated greed and corruption intricately blended with naivety and intelligence, The Start Up by Sadie Hayes, is sharp, fun and full of angsty dramatic brilliance. Gossip, intrigue and illegal corporate tactics sing from Silicon Valley, telling us of the money to be made and the people who will destroy anyone in their way to get that money.” –Jen, In the Closet with a Bibliophile

  “I loved these novellas! The Start-Up and The Anti-Social Network are, in my opinion, on the forefront of what is sure to be a great YA genre in the future because the topic of advancing technology is extremely relevant.” –Sandra, Panda Reads

  “It’s deliciously good. This read was a breath of fresh air. A brand new viewpoint on our favorite type of YA guilty pleasure.” – Sara Oestreich, The Librarian Reads

  “A new series that combines the wonderful world of technology with the backstabbing and glamorous life of the wealthy…I am hooked. The Start Up has everything you could want in a modern day series [and] will draw many male and female fans a like.”

  “The Start-Up picks an ideal topic for ebook serial fiction, with genius programmer Amelia Dorey persuaded by her more worldly twin brother Adam to turn programs into dollars.” – Sheila Deeth

  “This pure CW teen drama in a lot of ways - it’s the problems of beautiful people as they juggle relationships, drama, and school. And yet…I can’t deny that I was absolutely addicted to the first two parts of this series. As a marketing idea, The Start-Up takes King’s serializing of The Green Mile and brings it into the digital age, both literally and figuratively.” – Joshua Mauthe

  “AHHH! Not again! Just as good as the first, or maybe even better…when I got to that last page and then tried to flip the virtual page, I was like “Noooo!”… The novels are hilarious, sweet, scandalous, and super awesome, I find myself smiling from ear to ear the entire time! I hope Hayes keeps up with the series, because I am not done with these characters, not anytime soon.” –Dana Hilgers, Dana Does Read

  “Book two of the Start-Up is another interesting story arc in the tale of computer genius Amelia and her more earthly twin Adam as they start up a business together. Guided by the wise, preyed on by the foolish, but never quite sure of their place in this high-finance world, they’re approaching the point where their wonder-product will be announced.” – Sheila Deeth

  “Similar to the first installment, The Anti-Social Network is built
upon a foundation of true experience. Although the characters and story are fiction, the themes are very true to life, and entrepreneurs may learn a thing or two…The Anti-Social Network has a perspective of their acceptance of entrepreneurship and subsequent moving of the company from the idea, or seed stage, to an early and ultimately expansion stage. This realistically mimics the journey of an entrepreneur assuming they have the burning desire, faith, and persistence to stay the course and rise to each ever increasing challenge.” – J.R. Sedivy, Chairman and CEO, Analytika, Inc.

  Contents

  Prologue: Bookmarks

  Chapter 1: Lift Off

  Chapter 2: Hawaii 2.0

  Chapter 3: Get To Know Me

  Chapter 4: Is This Seat Taken?

  Chapter 5: Dinner Table Confessionals

  Chapter 6: Waterfalls

  Chapter 7: You Can’t Stay On Top Forever

  Chapter 8: Some Things Champagne Can’t Fix

  Chapter 9: Prove Yourself

  Chapter 10: Look, But Don’t Touch

  Chapter 11: Footprints

  Chapter 12: Yours, Virtually

  Chapter 13: Tell Me Your Secrets, I’ll Tell You Mine

  Chapter 14: Panic

  Chapter 15: Prepping and Primping

  Chapter 16: You Can’t Win All The Time

  Chapter 17: Or Can You?

  Chapter 18: Here She Comes

  Chapter 19: Competitive Advantage

  Chapter 20: Speech!

  Epilogue

  Author’s Biography

  PROLOGUE:

  Bookmarks

  www.crunchbase.com/company/doreye

  CrunchBase

  Home>Companies>Doreye

  Doreye, Inc.

  Doreye (pronounced “Door-Eye”) is a downloadable device and object recognition application created by Amelia Dory and her brother Adam Dory. In an interview with TechCrunch, Amelia called Doreye, “A remote control for the physical world.” The application uses the phone’s native antenna and circuitry to receive and broadcast signals across a wider spectrum of frequencies than the manufacturers intended. As a result, Doreye currently allows the user to “see and control” any electronic device with their phone—televisions, garage doors and even microwaves are accessible via Doreye.

  Apple CEO Tim Cook, who was gifted an early alpha version, called Doreye, “…physically impossible. I’d sooner believe the Loch Ness monster exists before I would believe Doreye exists… And, yet, here I am using it to unlock my car.” The limitations of what is and isn’t possible doesn’t seem to prevent Amelia Dory from pushing the horizons of Doreye. Later this year, Doreye will be able to recognize and find inanimate objects. “Like how a bat uses sonar,” Amelia explains that Doreye will use infrared signals and a sleek, lightweight AI (artificial intelligence) to recognize things like your keys, your car or even your friends.

  Amelia Dory holds over a dozen patents related to Doreye. She co-founded the company with her twin brother Adam Dory, who is the company’s COO and head of Business Development. They started the company six months ago while freshmen at Stanford. Both hail from Indiana.

  www.crunchbase.com/financial-organization/fenway-ventures

  CrunchBase

  Home>Financial Organizations>Fenway Ventures

  Fenway Ventures is a venture fund that focuses on seed and Series A investments to start-up companies. The fund also runs a start-up incubator, which is designed to speed the development of entrepreneurial companies by providing mentorship, as well as business and legal support.

  Fenway Ventures is currently incubating two early-stage companies: WorldSight and Doreye. WorldSight uses advances in plastics technology to create eyewear that affordably prevents glaucoma in third world inhabitants. Doreye is a revolutionary software that the valley has deemed “The next Google;” it transforms anyone’s cell phone into both a remote control for electronic devices and an object recognition “radar” for inanimate objects.

  Key People:

  Founder Tom Fenway is one of Silicon Valley’s most prolific investors and philanthropists. His Kadence music service formed the backbone of Apple’s iTunes as well as Final Cut Pro, and inspired most other online music aggregators. He is particularly known for his laid-back aesthetic, notoriously wearing flip-flops to high profile meetings.

  Analyst T. J. Bristol handles supervision as well as business support for Fenway’s incubator. He assists the founders in market analysis and fundraising. Formerly an intern at Goldman Sachs, T. J. is the son of Ted Bristol, one of Silicon Valley’s biggest venture investors. T. J. graduated from Stanford, where his father Ted is a trustee and his sister Lisa is currently a freshman.

  http://www.nytimes.com/pages/fashion/weddings/vows/Hawkins-Bronson

  Vows

  Shandi Marie Hawkins and Chad Sebastian Bronson

  By: Margot Langsford

  Shandi Marie Hawkins and Chad Sebastian Bronson are to be married at noon on Saturday at the Hibiscus Grove, on the island of Maui, Hawaii. The Rev. Frederick Wilton, an Episcopal priest, will officiate.

  The bride, 23, will take her husband’s name. She is pursuing her Master of Art History from Yale University, where she received a Bachelors degree this past May. She is the daughter of Ronald and Chloe Hawkins of Atherton, California. The bride’s sister Patricia Hawkins, a sophomore at Stanford University, will serve as maid of honor.

  The bridegroom, 27, is receiving his M.B.A. from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. He is the son of Bradley Fitzgerald Bronson and Vivian Wells-Bronson of Darien, Connecticut. Before attending Stanford, he worked as an associate at Deutsche Bank, and received his A.B. in Economics from Harvard College.

  The couple met three years ago at the annual Young Patrons of Lincoln Center charity ball.

  online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405231545674219645274003298926316.html

  The Wall Street Journal | Technology | Top Stories

  Secrecy Shrouds Gibly Sale and Court Proceedings

  By: Steven Messing

  In the world of technology, a single blog post can turn success into failure.

  Last June, Gibly, Inc. was on the verge of being sold to Lloyd’s (LLYL.l) for $3.8 billion in what was immediately heralded as the best return on investment in tech to date. Gibly’s lead investor and de facto CEO Ted Bristol considered the sale to Lloyd’s his swan song, and Silicon Valley awarded it as the crowning achievement to Bristol’s remarkable career.

  Days after the announcement and out of the blue, TechCrunch broke the tech story of the decade. Gibly was known for being a remarkable software program that acted as a personal assistant, doing everything from transcribing text messages to managing payments with one’s cell phone. The article by TechCrunch revealed Gibly’s much more secretive function. A mystery hacker discovered—and leaked to the blog TechCrunch—that Gibly was actually constructed to create a database of users’ private information. Over one hundred million users had their passwords, home addresses, credit card information and more stored in the Gibly server.

  The deal was put on hold indefinitely and Gibly was immediately the subject of both a class action suit and a lawsuit by the Federal Trade Commission over privacy concerns. At the time of this writing, Ted Bristol was unavailable for comment.

  Rumors abound as to the identity of the mystery hacker who took down Gibly, as well as his motivations. Some claim it’s the Internet civil disobedience group Anonymous, while others point towards a covert team at the CIA. Many technology blogs claim it’s either a head engineer from within the company or, least likely, a teenager with time on his hands. Regardless, some lone gunman single-handedly cost Silicon Valley’s best investors billions of dollars and their reputations.

  What Gibly was really up to—or why the sale to Lloyds was simply put on hold instead of scrapped altogether—is as much a mystery as the identity of the mystery hacker.

  CHAPTER 1:

  Lift Off

  “Please remove your shoes, sir,” the airport ag
ent said. Adam unlaced his Converse sneakers. He yanked off his socks and tossed them, along with his sneakers, into the gray plastic bin. The security agent rolled his eyes. “Just your shoes.”

  Adam grabbed his socks and fumbled to put them back on. He blushed as he tried to avoid the eyes of the passengers behind him who, like the agent, all seemed to be experts at this airport security drill. Why hadn’t he just followed his sister Amelia to the line without the body scan? Naturally, she had preferred a pat-down to a government-authorized body scan (who knew what they did with the images? she had insisted), and right now a pat-down sounded far less uncomfortable than the annoyed glare of this security agent.

  Adam placed his messenger bag on the conveyor belt. As it slumped against a shopping bag full of wrapped Christmas gifts, Adam felt a tightness in his chest as he remembered that there are rich, happy families who fly to Hawaii to celebrate Christmas. The holidays had always been a dark reminder for Adam that he and his sister had almost nothing to give or receive, and no family except each other.