Think outside of the box (Gawd, I hate that term)

[William Ahern]

On Tue, Aug 12, 2003 at 10:18:39AM -0400, Wes Kussmaul wrote:
> Matt Heath wrote in response to Chris's outside-the-box challenge:
> 
> > I use plan9 as my development platform as it is a delight to use.
> >
> > Don't expect eye candy, it is an OS to get work done.
> 
> 
> If the subject is competing in the domain of Gates and Jobs, then the notion
> of a computer is subsumed by the concept of media appliance. Even in the
> workplace where an OS exists to get work done, colorful skins and simple
> clickable interfaces sell, while practical command-driven interfaces don't.
> 
> The open source community is big enough to support those who don't want eye
> candy and those who do; those who like to build tools and those who enjoy
> the sport of the media marketplace. The two groups need to respect each
> other.
> 
> Chris's audience, the marketplace sports fans who would rather be
> participants in the game, ought to start with the question, "What are the
> vulnerabilities of the players with dominant market share?" It turns out
> that there are huge vulnerabilities. There always are. (Remember when IBM
> was invincible? Remember how in the midst of that consensus IBM hit the
> wall? Then remember how VAX/VMS was unstoppable?) Success breeds blindness,
> revenue model lock-in, and other vulnerabilities.
> 

success doesn't breed blindness. that's an improper valuation, tainted w/
envy. successful businesses just follow the money. read
"The Innovator's Dilemma".

- Bill