We're getting to the point where the siloed web is causing serious problems for commerce and competition. The "network effects" you refer to are a symptom of la

We're getting to the point where the siloed web is causing serious problems for commerce and competition. The "network effects" you refer to are a symptom of laws like the CFAA, which make it illegal to get data hosted on someone else's server, even if you do it in a completely non-disruptive manner. How would it have worked out if different companies could own stretches of the primary thoroughfare and forbid access to the employees and agents of their competitors? What if Google bought all the streets surrounding Apple and declared that Apple employees couldn't travel on them, lest they face legal action? That's essentially what we have happening online. Real competition is being seriously impeded by laws that allow companies to make it impossible to access data that the user has the right to access. If we really see the internet as the Information Superhighway, we need to stop restricting access based on corporate interest. The data needs to be accessible. Only then will customers be free to choose the application they want to use based on how well it performs its promised functions, instead of based on its holding the relevant data hostage.