The Dropouts Who Invented YouTube from a Rat-Infested Office 

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There’s always a small story behind every big creation.

I am thankful for the founders creating RU-vid because if it wasn't for RU-vid I wouldn't be here to this day

Investors: call RU-vid cute. Investors Years later: calls cat video on RU-vid cute.

I found out years later I was born in the same city as one of the founders of RU-vid. I never met them however.

Watching a series of company stories makes me realize that founders took their past working experience as a drive to start something that will change to future.

Google video back then was technically superior than RU-vid. The only difference was the kind of content found on these platforms? Academia preferred posting on Google Video, leaving Google Video with loads of boring videos such as Calculus lessons and speeches about success. While RU-vid was preferred by ordinary users, posting travel videos and random fun stuffs, pets (yes, cat videos are irresistible), gossips and celebrity scandals, and amateur music (My Space back then which was the #1 social media site before Facebook was heavy with musically inclined users promoting their music and they used RU-vid to post their recordings). So while Google Videos was technologically advanced and RU-vid was struggling to keep up with internet bandwidth demand and lesser video quality, RU-vid eventually won because of the variety of non-boring content you can find in it. After Google bought RU-vid, the Google tech and its almost unlimited bandwidth came to RU-vid eventually. The lesson here is that, consumers will come to your product not because it's technologically advanced but because it's useful and fun.

Until now, I find it ridiculous that rodents would had something to do with RU-vid’s early history in the first place.

Great video! It really is an eye opener, but let's not forget, these three guys were not kids in their parents basement, but people who knew the internet is going to be big! Just WOW on what their did and what they went through!

Can’t wait for *Me at the zoo* part 2!!

I hope youtube recommends this video to millions of people😊

Its really ironic that you posted this on RU-vid. Great video as always Hook!

Congratulations to the trio. This story is a great motivation for every young person who has started business to pesevere to achieve success.

From rat infested office to ads infested site.

I had the pleasure of working with Steve at PayPal. Never knew him that well and the YT stories. Thank you for this

And then it went downhill from there.....Demonetization, Censorship.....need I say more?

I never know RU-vid started out like that, and when I saw this vid on my recommendations I knew I had to watch it cuz I watch RU-vid often and when I do watch I'm inspired to become a RU-vidrs and make content of my own.

Ceramics engineering? Haven’t heard about it until this video. You learn something new everyday.

Well what do ya know. It started out in a rat infested office, and now the entire thing is ran by a rat. Interesting how that comes full circle.

These people are the legends They Made RU-vid And Now Your Making Their History In the Thing They Made for Countless Times

8:48 I love how ironic the message on the window is

Amazing effort by those three kids, You tube is the best thing that ever happened.

that transition to the sponsor was too smooth though ;-;

Ceramics engineering dismissed as "pottery", successfully insulting both fields with one piece of ignorance. Well done.

Who else thinks RU-vid is better than Tik Tok?

*So this is how RU-vid begin...*

Thank you Hook. I am really grateful to these 3 great collaborators of my favourite site ever! You guys totally rock 💜😎

My greatest respect to them and more than words to describe of being thankful 🙏❤️That we have this kind of platform.

23:22 That 180 degree turn tho

Probably the greatest story on this subject to date. A well presented , researched, & delivered, content topic on this success story. Big up to hook 👍👍👍

This was an awesome video, you did such a good job with information while also keeping it entertaining enough to watch it all the way through. Big thumbs up. As I somewhat knew the story of youtube already, this had some information I didn't already know. Thanks!

"Giant rats like the size of cats!" That employee would have been a good singer. 22:10

The world doesn’t need Metaverse already because RU-vid is already enough to proof that RU-vid change the world

Thank you guys for creating utube for us ive been exploring the world through this pioneering work that y'all made

I was crying by the end of the video. That triumphant music. A true success story! 🥰😍

Crazy how many haters and trolls were trying to stop or discourage this.

I’ve been waiting for this

living legendary heroes of social media. million thanks...from the world

Very impressive for not giving up

A banger like usual thanks for the information!

These guys put the media business in to normal people’s hands

This is so interesting. I'm very thankful for the three of them.

look at them struggle with a lot of harships that makes me realize: If u want to sit on the place where nobody can, you must endure something nobody can endure. Key of success

Guys i ve never heard of such perseverance from young men and facing giant challenges. We love u guys. Thank God for these men.

Thanks, Hook2, my sense of the timeline was all wrong. But my understanding of an interesting tale of a real-life success story is so much richer now.

Hello, great content! Keep continuing 😉

Hook with another fabulous video again!!

It's crazy how now RU-vid is billion dollar company! 😳

RU-vid was good in the early 2010’s but now, it’s not as good as it was before.

Thanks for sharing this. Now I understand it all. Such a good story.

a job well done Hook! Thank You

Very well done story! Lesson here is never give up!

It's awesome learning the history of one of my favourite platforms!

Thank you for your inspiring stories

Amazing video!! You told the story the best of anyone.

I like how Steve is motivated to create a positive workers culture.

Great Doc. Enjoyed your host and mostly accurate pics and vids. Cheers 🇨🇦

im crying. idk them but i feel proud

This is underrated.

Any company should start with humble beginnings until they really took off.

That play they did on MySpace was a straight power move

Damn right to call your channel hook because I’m hooked

I miss the old star rating system :(

Thank You for these founders for keeping it up. ❣

Back in 2005, it's so hard to watch RU-vid on any Mobile Phones 😎.. What 3 founders did? 💯Genius!.

Too bad Google seriously abuse their privilege. Big does not equate to social goodness. Really wish there was an alternative.

Wow, what an asome story.

Still love you Hook! This is why RU-vid was started.

Well researched, informative and inspiring! Awesome!

Thank you to the founders! So much wealth of knowledge gained!

Very interesting content 👍I love learning about the origins of things. Thanks!

Thank you for this

All great story begjn in a humble beginning..I love to know this.

Thanks to the effort of this guys

This is so inspiring, I’m gonna make something called The Facebook 🤟🏾

This historical video are totally blown me off, since much active using youtube from 2010/2012 i think, yeah it becauss my country has poor connections and just araound 2-3 years after 4G i can watch youtube without need to buffer each 5 secs just to watch 1 sec lol xD, God Bless you founder of RU-vid, your creation didnt only becoming an alternative watch sites, but also it savior from my country shows where is the program on each tv stations is almost same and more over its revolving around the things that didn't on my plate, so im grateful you guys has make this video sites and the rumors that i had hear back in early 2010 is true, "RU-vid can make money", it so fantastic thanks Hook for bringing this piece historical evidence of hardwork never betrayed

Wow.... ilove this video it gave me a host of information..... keep putting the good words out .... thank to you on your team

I'm hoping you guys in Hook might do the history of Android in the future.

Amazing. From small 3,500 SF office in Burlingame. Kudos!

This shows that to build a castle you need a small grain of sand to create a brick that builds a castle. Thanks for sharing your video. 🙏🙏

Rather interesting vid! I definitely need to share this

Wow that was fun to watch and very inspired

>It was mean to be a video dating site >Upload a video of someone being at the zoo >Big success coming up!

Very interesting. Thank you.

I remember in the beginning with my first account I only watched music videos.

The real hero in this story is me at the zoo itself.

What's your excuse for not starting one of the largest businesses from home?

This is truly inspiring

Good one dude!!

really good job with the video 👍

This was so nostalgic.

Such an inspiration Thank you for this info ♥️👈

Very nice content. Thanks, Hook. Just keep it up. :)

Excellent & Inspirational presentation 👍🙏

The fact that most popular video original creator is unknown is sad, and most of the oldest april 2005 creators and users are not know.

I remembered way back in 2008.. Friendster was like Facebook where you can coded to put YT in your profile so it was really fun way back those times

Thanks guys, for that 2nd 3rd 4th 5th...etc. effort!

And then a woman touched it and it turned into trash.

all right so here we are -jawed

Very wonderful and inspiring video! What now, for the next big thing on the internet?