> If IBM was really a vertically-integrated, predatory giant, how could Microsoft have been successful? > If Microsoft was a vertically integrated, predatory g

> If IBM was really a vertically-integrated, predatory giant, how could Microsoft have been successful? > If Microsoft was a vertically integrated, predatory giant, how could Google have been successful? > The only sensible answer is that the incumbents were not as powerful as they seemed to be. Like the parent said IBM was under legal scrutiny for over a decade and Microsoft was for around 8 years. They deliberately became less predatory to avoid the wrath of the US government.