When they refused to rewrite code to run ads, Berlow asked, “Who do I have to fuck to get you people to do your jobs?” Even CEO Steve Case, while no programmer, was geek enough to dislike the new advertising. When reviewing a healthy deal with Sprint to run a banner ad, he balked. “What really bothers me,” he said, “is the ads are in a place where members will see them.” Berlow asked his CEO with admirable candor: “Are you out of your fucking mind?”

Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, loc. 728