Schneier on Security

Phill Hallam-Baker • March 10, 2007 7:35 AM

The list is (almost) complete nonsense. There is personal influence and there is corporate influence.

More than half the list is representing corporate influence which is really not the same thing as personal influence. Google has influence, Microsoft has influence but ascribing that influence to individuals misses the mark entirely.

At the other end of the scale there are the hot startups and VC firms lumped in to make the place look trendy.

Then there is the curious placement of Bruce above Sir Tim B-L and Vint Cerf. Tim has spent a lot of time working to be influential on the Internet. He has an entire 200 member company, 100 employee organization dedicated to promoting the Tim vision of the Web. As far as personal influence on the Internet itself goes nobody is going to touch him.

As far as influence goes by far the most significant person onthe Web is Kos. He is the kingmaker for the Democratic party.

If the list was realistic Bruce would probably be around the same place. But such lists are inevitably bunk unless they are compiled by the people who are actually influential.

So here is a better way to do it. Send a questionaire out to the top ten people you consider most influential asking them for the top ten most influential people on their work. Then send out questionaires to everyone who appears on those lists. Continue the process until the list converges.