the dotcom wave , despite being a big one , was destined to break up as quickly as it had surfaced : the big bucks had already been made - and in most case lost - the venture capitalists , who a year before had been prepared to throw money at any company that had a full stop somewhere in the middle of their name , were retreating quicker than a spring tide , and the stock market , which had artificially allowed the dotcoms to be so buoyant , was finally coming to the conclusion that it was not just hope that floats , and had effectively pulled the confidence plug on the whole teetering colossus .