Start-Up Your Engines!

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TIME: Is Google's initial public offering [IPO] a one-of-a-kind event or a sign of things to come?

WOODWARD: It is just wonderful Google has chosen to do its IPO with a public auction of its shares. An auction is the clearest and fairest and most efficient way to set the price for it. And the fact that it has chosen to use the Internet as a part of its IPO will open it up to millions of people who otherwise wouldn't be able to participate.

RIESCHEL: But I think it has no legs. Is this heralding an age where it will be easy to go public? I don't think that is the case at all.

HEESEN: We think there may be a psychological boost by the Google IPO, but by and large we have seen a pretty conservative market thus far.