This cannot be good for Google. If I was an exec at Google I would be very nervous about this. This is a good excuse and opportunity for people to start writing more ad blocking plugins. I am sure Google would not want that.
I don't think this noise creates a big problem, I just think it's not going to last for long. Also, IMO "traditional" angel investors will continue investing because they probably enjoy doing it.
Everyone who made a few hundred thousand $ and their sisters, turned into angel investors in the valley in the recent years.
The reason in my opinion is the prestige that derives from being a startup investor. I know at least 5-6 people who do this with one semi-successful startup as their experience.
Naturally, this means more supply which results to higher valuations and more startups being funded. So, the bar gets lower and I expect that the returns are not going to be great for most.
My emphasis was on the fact that even Steve Jobs was not trusted by the board of Apple because of lack of experience. Being turfed from Apple might have been the best thing that happened to him but I don't think it was the best thing that happened to Apple. The company almost died. So, again, without diminishing the value of experience, I think those who have some, tend to overvalue it.
Even Steve Jobs was not trusted by his board because of lack of "experience". Those with experience tend to always overvalue it and rarely see their own limitations.
Here is the problem I see with this: $1000 is a price a big company would easily pay for its employees, as a benefit, to go attend a class on something. I think though that the content of this class would be more valuable to people who are trying to build / bootstrap new companies. But for the latter the opportunity cost is too high.
Maybe 37signals could do something online and charge less per person?
I think most people, VCs included, cannot really see an opportunity until it's obvious. So, there is a lot of after the fact pattern matching. These days, it is social gaming, a year ago it was "real time". The few that are really visionary or lucky are the big winners