Does Prof. Motwani know about my relationship with Larry and Sergey?

Prof. Motwani is a good professor; I respect him.

The communication between Sergey, Larry, and me did not involve him.

He said what he said in TechCrunch out of circumstances and uneasiness.
After all, Google is closely related to Stanford university, which owns the patent licensed to and used by Google.

At the end is the email communications between him and me when I sensed a change of tones and modes from Google in 2003 . The email was done within hours of the same night. I will leave it to your judgement whether he knows my relationship with Larry and Sergey.

Contrasted with his techcrunch posting
Prof. Motwani’s post on TechCrunch

Note: a recent sad news (June 2009) , Prof. Motwani has passed away, he is a good person; regardless his response to my video.

From hubert@slinky.cs.nyu.edu Tue Apr  8 20:36:16 2003 -0400
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2003 20:36:16 -0400 (EDT)
From: Hung-Hsien Chang
To: rajeev@cs.stanford.edu
Subject: Could I make this request?
Message-ID:  <Pine.GSO.4.44.0304081901360.401-100000@slinky.cs.nyu.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Status: RO
X-Status:
X-Keywords:
X-UID: 1

Dear Prof. Motwani:

I was introduced to you by Prof. Boppana when you were
visiting NYU briefly in 1996.
It has been a while since I have emailed you in 1997.
Later I brainstormed with Larry and Sergey who build the Google.

I am graduating from NYU. I am currently in San Jose
while on my way to Taiwan and will return in late April.

I wonder if it is possible to make an appointment with you
when I come back or if it is not inconvenient
then any weekday (this week) would work for me.
I appreciate it if I could meet you and get advice from you.
If it is not possible, please let me know as well.

My apology for any inconvenience.

Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

Hubert

From hubert@slinky.cs.nyu.edu Tue Apr  8 22:04:29 2003 -0400
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2003 22:04:29 -0400 (EDT)
From: Hung-Hsien Chang
To: Rajeev Motwani
Subject: Re: Could I make this request?
In-Reply-To: <Pine.GSO.4.21.0304081840090.25381-100000@Sunburn.Stanford.EDU>
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.4.44.0304082201420.6091-100000@slinky.cs.nyu.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Status: RO
X-Status:
X-Keywords:
X-UID: 2

Dear Prof. Motwani:

Thank you.

Will tomorrow be possible?
If so, I could go at your most convenient time and place.

Much appreciated.

Sincerely yours,

Hubert

On Tue, 8 Apr 2003, Rajeev Motwani wrote:

>
>
> Sure, when do you want to meet?
>
> Rajeev
>
> On Tue, 8 Apr 2003, Hung-Hsien Chang wrote:
>
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > Dear Prof. Motwani:
>  >
>  >
>  > I was introduced to you by Prof. Boppana when you were
>  > visiting NYU briefly in 1996.
>  > It has been a while since I have emailed you in 1997.
>  > Later I brainstormed with Larry and Sergey who build the Google.
>  >
>  > I am graduating from NYU. I am currently in San Jose
>  > while on my way to Taiwan and will return in late April.
>  >
>  > I wonder if it is possible to make an appointment with you
>  > when I come back or if it is not inconvenient
>  > then any weekday (this week) would work for me.
>  > I appreciate it if I could meet you and get advice from you.
>  > If it is not possible, please let me know as well.
>  >
>  > My apology for any inconvenience.
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > Thank you.
>  >
>  >
>  > Sincerely yours,
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > Hubert
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>
>

From hubert@slinky.cs.nyu.edu Tue Apr  8 22:13:54 2003 -0400
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2003 22:13:54 -0400 (EDT)
From: Hung-Hsien Chang
To: Rajeev Motwani
Subject: Re: Could I make this request?
In-Reply-To: <Pine.GSO.4.21.0304081912200.26726-100000@Sunburn.Stanford.EDU>
Message-ID:<Pine.GSO.4.44.0304082212540.6523-100000@slinky.cs.nyu.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Status: RO
X-Status:
X-Keywords:
X-UID: 3

Dear Prof. Motwani:

Thank you.
I would contact you again from Taiwan.
Would that be all right?

Sincerely yours,

Hubert

homepage: http://www.cs.nyu.edu/hubert/

On Tue, 8 Apr 2003, Rajeev Motwani wrote:

>
>
> Lets do it after you come back as this week is quite busy for me.
>
> Rajeev
>
>
> On Tue, 8 Apr 2003, Hung-Hsien Chang wrote:
>
>  >
>  >
>  > Dear Prof. Motwani:
>  >
>  >
>  > Thank you.
>  >
>  > Will tomorrow be possible?
>  > If so, I could go at your most convenient time and place.
>  >
>  >
>  > Much appreciated.
>  >
>  >
>  > Sincerely yours,
>  >
>  >
>  > Hubert
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  > Dear Prof. Motwani:
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  > I was introduced to you by Prof. Boppana when you were
>  > >  > visiting NYU briefly in 1996.
>  > >  > It has been a while since I have emailed you in 1997.
>  > >  > Later I brainstormed with Larry and Sergey who build the Google.
>  > >  >
>  > >  > I am graduating from NYU. I am currently in San Jose
>  > >  > while on my way to Taiwan and will return in late April.
>  > >  >
>  > >  > I wonder if it is possible to make an appointment with you
>  > >  > when I come back or if it is not inconvenient
>  > >  > then any weekday (this week) would work for me.
>  > >  > I appreciate it if I could meet you and get advice from you.
>  > >  > If it is not possible, please let me know as well.
>  > >  >
>  > >  > My apology for any inconvenience.
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  > Thank you.
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  > Sincerely yours,
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  > Hubert
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >
>  > >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>
>

From hubert@slinky.cs.nyu.edu Tue Apr  8 22:27:03 2003 -0400
Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2003 22:27:03 -0400 (EDT)
From: Hung-Hsien Chang
To: Rajeev Motwani
Subject: Re: Could I make this request?
In-Reply-To: <Pine.GSO.4.21.0304081920050.26951-100000@Sunburn.Stanford.EDU>
Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.4.44.0304082226440.7019-100000@slinky.cs.nyu.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Status: RO
X-Status:
X-Keywords:
X-UID: 4

Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

Hubert

On Tue, 8 Apr 2003, Rajeev Motwani wrote:

>
>
> That's fine.
>
> Rajeev
>
>
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > Dear Prof. Motwani:
>  >
>  >
>  > Thank you.
>  > I would contact you again from Taiwan.
>  > Would that be all right?
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > Sincerely yours,
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > Hubert
>  >
>  > homepage: http://www.cs.nyu.edu/hubert/
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  > On Tue, 8 Apr 2003, Rajeev Motwani wrote:
>  >
>  > >
>  > >
>  > > Lets do it after you come back as this week is quite busy for me.
>  > >
>  > > Rajeev
>  > >
>  > >
>  > > On Tue, 8 Apr 2003, Hung-Hsien Chang wrote:
>  > >
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  > Dear Prof. Motwani:
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  > Thank you.
>  > >  >
>  > >  > Will tomorrow be possible?
>  > >  > If so, I could go at your most convenient time and place.
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  > Much appreciated.
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  > Sincerely yours,
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  > Hubert
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  > Dear Prof. Motwani:
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  > I was introduced to you by Prof. Boppana when you were
>  > >  > >  > visiting NYU briefly in 1996.
>  > >  > >  > It has been a while since I have emailed you in 1997.
>  > >  > >  > Later I brainstormed with Larry and Sergey who build the Google.
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  > I am graduating from NYU. I am currently in San Jose
>  > >  > >  > while on my way to Taiwan and will return in late April.
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  > I wonder if it is possible to make an appointment with you
>  > >  > >  > when I come back or if it is not inconvenient
>  > >  > >  > then any weekday (this week) would work for me.
>  > >  > >  > I appreciate it if I could meet you and get advice from you.
>  > >  > >  > If it is not possible, please let me know as well.
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  > My apology for any inconvenience.
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  > Thank you.
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  > Sincerely yours,
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  > Hubert
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >  >
>  > >  > >
>  > >  > >
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >  >
>  > >
>  > >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>
>

Google was originally created by Hubert Chang, Sergey Brin, and Larry Page

Why you post this video now and not earlier?

I tried to swallow it; it was hard. I decided I would rather be dis-believed by others than looked down upon myself.

What you try to do? straight up the record or have financial claims

Straight up the record.

My video response to posting on TechCrunch by Prof. Motwani and Google spokesperson

Techcrunch has response from Prof. Motwani and Google spokesperson:

Update 2: Stanford prof. Rajeev Motwani does a better job distancing Chang from the early days of Google. He came back to me with the following response:

To the best of my knowledge, his claims about being a founder of Google, coming up with the name and/or the business plan etc, are completely unfounded in reality. I am sure I would have noticed a third founder, if one existed, since I was working closely with Larry and Sergey at Stanford the time.

I do recall receiving a couple of emails from Hubert Chang in 1997 or 1998. Its been such a long time that I don’t have any recollection of their contents but it’s probable I shared those emails with Larry and Sergey. In any case, by that time the basic idea of PageRank was already in place and there was a clear intent of building a company around this. I am pretty certain that none of the three of us actually met with Hubert Chang during that time period.

My response:

I respect Prof. Motwani; he is a wonderful teacher.

When the video is posted last year, I did not tell Prof. Motwani because I thought it was between Larry, Sergey, and me. However, it is not respectful, I should have told him. Lacking courtesy, my fault.

In 1997 email communication about Google plan, he was not a mail recipient between Larry, Sergey, and me.

When a professor shared several emails from other graduate student with his, most likely the content has to do with their research.

Prof. Motwani was probably surprised by the video when asked by TechCrunch because he was not aware of the video and perhaps missed something in his statement.

He is a wonderful teacher; I respect him.

Update 3: A Google spokesperson has given us the following revised statement:

There is no substance to Hubert Chang’s claims – he had no involvement in the creation of Google. Neither Larry or Sergey have any recollection of meeting him – however, given the number of people they’ve met in the last decade it’s impossible to say categorically that they never have. Rajeev Motwani, the Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at Stanford, believes he may have shared some emails from Mr. Chang with Larry and Sergey in 1997 or 1998. But in any case PageRank had already been developed by that time, and Larry and Sergey had already decided to start Google

My response

The focus should be “Did Larry, Sergey, and Hubert communicate in 1997″ and if so, what is it about?

Of course we did not meet; otherwise, why have email in the world?

The date for PageRank’s birthday could be approximated by finding out when the Google search engine started in Stanford. I am sure a lot of Stanford computer science then faculties and fellow students would know. I am certain it was 1997 and not prior to that.

There was a project called BackRub which collects webapges but it’s for finding out others’ comments about a webpage. It is not a search engine.

The basic idea of PageRank was not in place prior 1997 Feb.