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WebVan -> Instacart, Amazon Fresh

Napster -> Spotify

Chatbots (1996) -> Chatbots (2016)

Just because an idea failed, doesn't mean that it's resurrection is necessarily derivative or vacuous. Timing is everything, 20 years is a lifetime for applications of tech concepts.

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Ideas never fail. Just the execution of them. Which heavily depends on a wide array of factors.

That's a little pedantic. I would say that the idea includes the plan for execution, and in many cases perfect execution cannot resuscitate an idea that is too early.

Its black and white (at least in my opinion). I have an idea for something. How I bring it to reality and under which circumstances will either tell if my execution of the idea fails or succeeds. But the idea is still there. In a sort of idea limbo of sorts.

Given Instacart's recent problems, maybe sometimes a bad idea is just a bad idea.[1]

[1] http://www.recode.net/2016/3/11/11586878/instacart-a-startup...

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