About

Charles Stack

In 1992 I launched the world’s first online bookstore, Books.com. I sold it to CUC/Barnes and Noble in early 1996. In 2000 I founded Flashline the first web services portal. I sold it to BEA/Oracle in 2008. In 2010 I founded Sideways a digital publishing company for the Apple iPhone/iPad. I closed it in 2012, but I kept the domain name! From 2013 to 2019 I operated Flashstarts a startup accelerator and StartMart a 35,000 square foot coworking space.

I have been learning about, experimenting with, presenting on, and writing about Bitcoin and the Lightning Network since 2015. I relaunched Sideways in August 2021 as a platform for experimenting with new models in digital publishing.