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> not based on merit but based on market capture I'm not sure about that distinction. Users prefer something about YouTube compared to it's competitors. That's
by oconnor663 8y ago
> not based on merit but based on market capture
I'm not sure about that distinction. Users prefer something about YouTube compared to it's competitors. That's merit, even if it's not the particular merits that content creators would prefer.
- gaius 8y agoUsers prefer something about YouTube compared to it's competitors That something is the vast amount of copyrighted content...
- TeMPOraL 8y agoThat sounds like a definition of lock-in. Path dependence. Viewers prefer YouTube because that's where the content is. The content is there because that's what creators prefer. Creators prefer YouTube because that's where the viewers are. It's a ratchet.
- stcredzero 8y agoThat's merit, even if it's not the particular merits that content creators would prefer. It's quite a broken concept of merit. It's the kind of concept of "merit" where an offering with superior content and UX could come along, but it wouldn't matter because of network effects. The fact that so many content creators so badly want a different platform than YouTube to come into being (or for YouTube to change their practices) but can't afford to move -- this circumstance is very telling. Likewise the number of users who despise Facebook, but can't afford to leave.