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Andrew Anker
Andrew acted like a big brother. Snide, know it all condescention, with deference thrown in for civility.Not to say that I didn't like him, or get along with him. We never rattled sabres. Just the opposite, I used to lunch with him, and talk about HotDillemmas.
His primary HotProblem was Jonathan, who helped Jane convince Andrew to come to Wired to write a business plan for Wired online back in February 94.
He's a good business man, shmoozer, and he knows the online game well - technologically speaking, who's doing what with whose money, that kinda thing. It's the content/community thing he's not so hot on, and I think he had trouble navigating the more flamboyant egos present at HotWired.
He was the man with the money bags, and the technology acquirer, and coordinator of the info-structure geek folk. He was good at that. I think the magazine lost a bit of its potential personality when he was asked to be a net.visionary.
From whispers and tales I gathered he'd lead a wild life, sometime in his past, but now he's family man, with kids, wife, saab, pastoral dwelling.
I mentioned to him,This letter, about his soon to be born Astrid Lund Anker, captures his sense of humour."Hey Andrew, the dead are playing tonight. You going?"
"Yeah, I'm tripping already."
Date: Sat, 2 Jul 1994 00:43:34 -0800
To: <recipient list supressed>
From: aa@wired.com (Andrew Anker)
Subject: Re: Anker Jr.
Hmmm.... I'm touched that y'all took time out from your busy day to suggest such wonderful names. We actually already have boy's and girl's names picked out. I would tell them to you, but the lawyers are still running the trademark search and since the first use doctrine seems to be so important, I'd rather get the names out into public usage before actively disclosing them. Since Todd is a potential competitor in the baby name business, I'm having to do the legal work myself, which is a pain.I'm also still waiting for Plunkett + Kuhr to design a new look for baby Anker. Their first plan (don't ask, but it included a rocket red receiving blanket) was too derivative for our tastes.
13 days (or so) and counting....
-aa
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