6 ms·

I find it kind of funny that you think AWS will still be around in a hundred years.

eindiran 7y ago
This paper company was founded 771 AD: https://www.shinise.ne.jp/j_kyoto/voices/vol/48/48-d.html https://www.shinise.ne.jp/j_kyoto/voices/vol/48/48-d.html It's not even the longest-lived company in the world. This construction company was founded in 578 AD and continuously operated until 2006 when it was bought by a larger company: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong%C5%8D_Gumi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong%C5%8D_Gumi 100 years ago was only 1919 -- here are some random companies from 1919 that I found on Wikipedia (ignoring for a moment that this is plainly surviorship bias): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champion_(sportswear) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champion_(sportswear) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KitchenAid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KitchenAid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrifty_PayLess https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrifty_PayLess https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesco https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesco https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proffitt%27s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proffitt%27s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%26W_Restaurants https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%26W_Restaurants Companies surviving for 100 years isn't quite routine but it's certainly not so rare that its surprising when one does. I don't think it's at all inconceivable that Amazon could stay open for a hundred years. It's made it past the first 10 years, the turbulent start when most companies are culled. I'd wager that the biggest threat to Amazon surviving to 100 is being broken up a la Bell/Standard Oil.
- elil17 7y ago
  Even after being broken up, AWS would still exist - it just wouldn’t be part of the amazon conglomerate
- eloff 7y ago
  A company lasts just 11 years on average on the S&P 500 now. Companies are surviving for shorter time periods now then they used to.
  - azernik 7y ago
    Like with pre-modern human lifespans, there's a VERY long tail on that number.
  - vonmoltke 7y ago
    First off, what is your source for that average? This report (https://www.innosight.com/insight/creative-destruction/ https://www.innosight.com/insight/creative-destruction/) has a much higher average, and forecasts a fall to 12 years by 2027. Second, that's average time in the S&P 500 index. As noted and n the report, there are many reasons besides going under that companies drop off the index. That number doesn't really say much about longevity of the company.
- dole 7y ago
  The Avedis Zildjian Company, now an American-based cymbal manufacturer, was founded in Constantinople in 1623. Hell, even Nintendo's 123. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avedis_Zildjian_Company https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avedis_Zildjian_Company
- rags2riches 7y ago
  The oldest preserved share of any company is from 1288. It's since been merged, but it's still around. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stora_Enso#History_of_Stora https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stora_Enso#History_of_Stora
- gao8a 7y ago
  Heck, IBM is 100+ lol
- matteuan 7y ago
  The italian bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena was founded in 1624, they even use some of the centuries old building as offices...it's not doing very well but it's still there
- azernik 7y ago
  For ones maybe more familiar to an American audience and/or to techies: Bayer (1860s Germany), Johnson & Johnson (1886), 3M (1902), the Coca-Cola Company (1892), IBM (1911), HP (1939), Mitsubishi (1870), Wells Fargo (1852).
- tfha 7y ago
  AWS is different from Amazon though. AWS is a cutting edge technology in a fast moving industry that is likely to be made obsolete in the next 20 to 30 years.

This paper company was founded 771 AD: https://www.shinise.ne.jp/j_kyoto/voices/vol/48/48-d.html https://www.shinise.ne.jp/j_kyoto/voices/vol/48/48-d.html It's not even the longest-lived company in the world. This construction company was founded in 578 AD and continuously operated until 2006 when it was bought by a larger company: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong%C5%8D_Gumi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong%C5%8D_Gumi 100 years ago was only 1919 -- here are some random companies from 1919 that I found on Wikipedia (ignoring for a moment that this is plainly surviorship bias): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champion_(sportswear) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champion_(sportswear) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KitchenAid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KitchenAid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrifty_PayLess https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrifty_PayLess https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesco https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesco https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proffitt%27s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proffitt%27s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%26W_Restaurants https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%26W_Restaurants Companies surviving for 100 years isn't quite routine but it's certainly not so rare that its surprising when one does. I don't think it's at all inconceivable that Amazon could stay open for a hundred years. It's made it past the first 10 years, the turbulent start when most companies are culled. I'd wager that the biggest threat to Amazon surviving to 100 is being broken up a la Bell/Standard Oil.

elil17 7y ago
Even after being broken up, AWS would still exist - it just wouldn’t be part of the amazon conglomerate
eloff 7y ago
A company lasts just 11 years on average on the S&P 500 now. Companies are surviving for shorter time periods now then they used to.
- azernik 7y ago
  Like with pre-modern human lifespans, there's a VERY long tail on that number.
- vonmoltke 7y ago
  First off, what is your source for that average? This report (https://www.innosight.com/insight/creative-destruction/ https://www.innosight.com/insight/creative-destruction/) has a much higher average, and forecasts a fall to 12 years by 2027. Second, that's average time in the S&P 500 index. As noted and n the report, there are many reasons besides going under that companies drop off the index. That number doesn't really say much about longevity of the company.
dole 7y ago
The Avedis Zildjian Company, now an American-based cymbal manufacturer, was founded in Constantinople in 1623. Hell, even Nintendo's 123. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avedis_Zildjian_Company https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avedis_Zildjian_Company
rags2riches 7y ago
The oldest preserved share of any company is from 1288. It's since been merged, but it's still around. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stora_Enso#History_of_Stora https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stora_Enso#History_of_Stora
gao8a 7y ago
Heck, IBM is 100+ lol
matteuan 7y ago
The italian bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena was founded in 1624, they even use some of the centuries old building as offices...it's not doing very well but it's still there
azernik 7y ago
For ones maybe more familiar to an American audience and/or to techies: Bayer (1860s Germany), Johnson & Johnson (1886), 3M (1902), the Coca-Cola Company (1892), IBM (1911), HP (1939), Mitsubishi (1870), Wells Fargo (1852).
tfha 7y ago
AWS is different from Amazon though. AWS is a cutting edge technology in a fast moving industry that is likely to be made obsolete in the next 20 to 30 years.