Re: Openness. I think what ultimately matters to most consumers (including techies) is stability. This includes a) continuous accessibility over time (say, for

Re: Openness. I think what ultimately matters to most consumers (including techies) is stability. This includes a) continuous accessibility over time (say, for 30 years) and b) consistent usability / compatibility / affordability etc. This can be achieved by closed technology and openness does not guarantee that. Excitement or feel-goodness is another factor as you mentioned, but I don't think it's not a universal issue as some (most) people don't have to be excited about the tech.