Successful software development

What does it take to make a successful software development project?
Consider Google AdSense: it went into full-scale production in 2003.
Now it's 2008. Microsoft still didn't implement its version of AdSense competitor. Yahoo implemented something, but that something is not for everyone and is available only as a very limited beta-version.

5 years passed, since AdSense production launch. But nobody can reproduce what Google did in probably less than couple of years. Not even such high profile software development companies as Microsoft and Yahoo.

What do you think defines component of successful software project? Good developers? Good team leads? Good top management?

I think Good team leaders with proper backing from strong top management team is the key.
Team leader and top manager could be the same person. That was the case when Google just started with their now famous search engine in ~1995-1997. Serge Brin and Larry Page were software developers, team leads and top management at the same time.

First version of Google

This is how Google looked back in Nov 1998.

Demotivators

These pictures with funny slogans are funny. Sometimes painfully funny :-)
Demotivators gallery

How to Be Silicon Valley

StartUps

How to Be Silicon Valley

Frappr - google maps based communities' maps

Russian Z1 Map

Xooglers

Xooglers
Ex-googlers remember their Google's past.

Development tips

I added new blog:
Development tips
Development tips is about interesting software development problems which I experienced and successfully solved.

Marketing for Geeks

Marketing for Geeks By Eric Sink.
Based on: "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing"

Brainbench VS.NET certification

From: support@brainbench.com [mailto:support@brainbench.com]
Sent: Monday, April 26, 2004 1:45 AM
To: recruiter
Subject: SkillsBench Assessment Results, Gorelik, .NET (C#, VB.NET, ASP.NET)

Date: 2004-04-25 22:05:38(US EST)
Profile Name: .NET (C#, VB.NET, ASP.NET) (PRF6354)
Test taker: Dennis Gorelik
Pin: PRF63548LVWLWQV
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Module 1: C#
Score: 3.93 (Scale of 1 - 5 where 5.0 = Best)
Higher than 92% of all previous test takers.

Demonstrates a clear understanding of many advanced concepts
within this topic. Appears capable of mentoring others on most
projects in this area.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Module 2: Visual Basic.NET
Score: 4.06 (Scale of 1 - 5 where 5.0 = Best)
Higher than 97% of all previous test takers.

Demonstrates a clear understanding of many advanced concepts
within this topic. Appears capable of mentoring others on most
projects in this area.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Module 3: ASP.NET
Score: 3.93 (Scale of 1 - 5 where 5.0 = Best)
Higher than 92% of all previous test takers.

Demonstrates a clear understanding of many advanced concepts
within this topic. Appears capable of mentoring others on most
projects in this area.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Weighted Average Score: 3.97
Total Test Time: 216 minutes, 39 seconds
Avg. time per question: 270 seconds
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Artificial Intelligence System Development

Now my AIS development notes will be here:
Artificial Intelligence System Development