Smart investors, esteemed analysts, and the business press found themselves asking:

• Who knew people wouldn't rush out to trade in their U.S. dollars for a virtual currency called Flooz?

• Who knew people wouldn't blow all their Flooz on a used car from the guys at iMotors.com?

• And who needed a used car from iMotors.com when they could just sit at home and have 40-lb. bags of dog food delivered to them by a sock puppet?

F'd Companies captures the waste, greed, and human stupidity of more than 100 dot-com companies. Written in Philip J. Kaplan's popular, cynical style, these profiles are filled with colorful anecdotes, factoids, and information unavailable anywhere else. Together they form a gleeful encyclopedia of how not to run a business. They also capture a truly remarkable period of history.

F'd Companies is required reading for everyone involved in the "new economy" — assuming your severance check can cover the cost.

Who are the latest casualties of the Dot-Bomb Era? Nobody knows better than this guy.

ex-Technical Editor, CNET

Kaplan knew I was getting laidoff before I did. Thanks for the heads up, asshole.

Kaplan seems determined to make Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates — everyone's definition of the ultimate geek — look as suave as Cary Grant.

ex-Human Resources, Rare Medium

I laughed, I cried, I filed for unemployment.

Introduction

1. TOUGH SHIP

Pets.com and#149; Webvan and#149; Kozmo.com and#149; Furniture.com

2. Solutions in search of a problem

eRegister.com and#149; iHarvest.com and#149; Third Voice and#149; Wwwrrr.com and#149; eMarker and#149; Colo.com and#149; Impresse and#149; CalendarCentral.com and#149; PopularPower.com and#149; CapacityWeb.com and#149; Refer.com and#149; Iam.com and#149; Mercata.com and#149; BizBuyer.com and#149; FooDoo.com

3. IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS

Fandom.com and#149; FunBug.com and#149; Vitessa.com and#149; OnlineChoice.com and#149; eFanShop.com and#149; eLetter.com and#149; Extreme Championship Wrestling

4. MESSY ENDINGS

SwapIt.com and#149; FreeRide.com and#149; ThemeStream.com and#149; ExchangePath.com and#149; CashWars.com and#149; LogicTier and#149; MySpace.com and#149; CyberRebate.com and#149; Desktop.com

5. QUIT WHILE YOU'RE AHEAD

Liquor.com and#149; HeavenlyDoor.com and#149; BuildNet.com and#149; Zap.com and#149; Wingspan Bank and#149; Meals.com and#149; Music.com and#149; Express.com and#149; Work.com and#149; ToysRUs.com and#149; Finance.com and#149; Balducci.com and#149; DailyRadar.com

6. AHEAD OF THEIR TIME? OR JUST STUPID?

Z.com and#149; Wapit.com and#149; MVP.com and#149; GlobalMedia.com and#149; MyBiz.com and#149; Rx.com and#149; Broadband Office and#149; Hitplay Media and#149; LipStream.com and#149; Promptu and#149; NetMorf and#149; Urban Cool Network and#149; MusicMaker.com and#149; AntEye.com and#149; Xuma.com

7. CONTENT WAS KING

Rivals.com and#149; ContentVille.com and#149; Next50.com and#149; Hookt.com and#149; LocalBusiness.com and#149; eTown.com and#149; IUMA.com and#149; Voter.com and#149; The Industry Standard

8. EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE DIGITAL, WILL BE — BUT SHOULDN'T BE

Wine.com and#149; Eppraisals.com and#149; Art.com and#149; CharitableWay.com and#149; BeautyJungle.com and#149; iMotors.com and#149; Ingredients.com and#149; Zoza.com

9. MICRO NICHE

ProcessTree.com and#149; Send.com and#149; Bidland.com and#149; eHobbies.com and#149; OfficeClick.com and#149; PlanetRX.com

10. PARTY LIKE IT'S 1999

Urban Box Office and#149; CarClub.com and#149; eToys.com and#149; CollegeHire.com and#149; MarchFirst

11. GIVE IT AWAY NOW

eCircles.com and#149; TheGlobe.com and#149; eVoice.com and#149; BitLocker.com and#149; SixDegrees.com and#149; Zelerate and#149; FreeWorks.com

12. B2C2B2McD's

Zing.com and#149; GreatEntertaining.com and#149; Multitude.com and#149; Bid.com

13. $100 SHOPPING SPREE IF YOU READ THIS CHAPTER!

Sticky Networks and#149; Save.com and#149; CyberGold.com and#149; Dash.com and#149; ePod.com and#149; AllAdvantage.com

14. PORTALS TO NOWHERE

Go.com and#149; QuePasa.com and#149; Scape.com and#149; HeadLight.com

15. IF IT AIN'T BROKE, FIX IT

FinancialPrinter.com and#149; eLaw.com and#149; Foodline.com and#149; MetalSpectrum.com and#149; Comro.com and#149; HomeBytes.com and#149; Zoho.com

16. I'VE NO FUCKING CLUE

Digiscents and#149; Flooz.com and#149; Mr. Swap and#149; E Villa and#149; PaperFly.com and#149; Modo and#149; Empori.com and#149; Arzoo.com and#149; PNV.com and#149; Xigo.com and#149; XFL and#149; CampSix and#149; Comedy World and#149; iExchange.com and#149; ShoppingList.com and#149; ePods and#149; ClickABid.com and#149; QuestionExchange.com

SOURCES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

COMPANY INDEX