Not the same situation at all.

No, his netbook+bank account situation does indeed show similarities to the main question.

If you read between the lines, it amounts to "What is the minimum legal standard I have to follow to make money on this questionably gotten X?"

That's a sad question to have to ask.

The blame for the sad situation goes to stock markets and stock market regulations in the first place. They make it illegal to know things about companies.

I think it was a joke.

Bingo. A surprising number of modern web problems can be solved via static pages - speed, usability, scalability etc.

I remember finally turning down one project after failing to convince the small businessman that his site didn't need an unskippable flash intro with techno music.

Edit: I think that nowadays web 2.0 needs have been replaced with 'BIG Data'. I have a current client whose data set is less than 30 MB, but he insists that it is not just big data, but HUGE data! Which is a shame, As it is an interesting problem he has, but I will probably turn it down too.

If Excel can't open it...

So he should do something he has no interest in so he can get a job where he's doing things he has no interest in?

Are you moving to HK for a specific reason? As it's one of the world's most expensive places and although things are slowly improving it's not a particularly great place for startups.

Ya, HK is pretty much dominated by financial; no one goes there to work in tech, and there isn't much of a talent pipeline. Singapore, Bangkok, Shenzhen, shanghai, Beijing are better.

Coincidentally, I'm in HK on holiday going back to Beijing tomorrow. I'm suffocating in this small hotel room....my wife did a lot of shopping, though.