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Absolutely agreed, but I think part of what distorts this perspective for tech products is often the influence of VC. If you need to convince investors that you

Absolutely agreed, but I think part of what distorts this perspective for tech products is often the influence of VC. If you need to convince investors that you’re lined up for explosive growth, something like “we’re Tinder with branding that captures a different market segment” is probably a less compelling story than “we’re Tinder with an AI gimmick that will crush our competitors, burn their villages, and salt their fields”. Also, totally unrelated tangent, but I hate the way internet discussion makes us go to absurd lengths to qualify statements as a preemptive defense against pedants. Like, for the purposes of this discussion you’re 100% right that all bottled water is functionally identical, but you still have to couch it in “I’ll generalize” and “most” and “pretty much”. I do it all the time too and it drives me nuts.

abraae 7y ago
To address your unrelated tangent, as a pedant (as I think many techy types are), I personally appreciate the extra effort put in to qualify the statements. Your "you’re 100% right that all bottled water is functionally identical" makes me bristle. I only drink tap at home, but I know that bottled water is drawn from very different sources, and certainly some has quite different taste and taste is certainly a function of water </pedantic> Fortunately you yourself mounted an effective defence against pedantry by qualifying that with "for the purposes of this discussion".
- AceyMan 7y ago
  > [...] because I know that bottled water is drawn from very different sources Errrm, except that's not the case whatsoever. Citation, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pepsi-say-aquafina-tap-water/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pepsi-say-aquafina-tap-wat... /pedantry
  - abraae 7y ago
    > Errrm, except that's not the case whatsoever. It absolutely is often the case. You have cited one article about Pepsi's bottled water coming from a tap. That does not make it universally true at all. Bottle water around here is frequently drawn from springs, rivers etc. It is often the cause of bitter arguments about whether the companies are paying enough for it.
    - PeterStuer 7y ago
      Here is another data point for you about Coca Cola's water coming from municipal taps. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasani https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasani That does not mean it is 'bad' water. The point is that municipal tap water is perfectly fine to drink in most places. All water, whether bottled or tap, comes from 'springs, rivers etc.', the 'etc' being pumped up ground water in most cases.

abraae 7y ago

To address your unrelated tangent, as a pedant (as I think many techy types are), I personally appreciate the extra effort put in to qualify the statements. Your "you’re 100% right that all bottled water is functionally identical" makes me bristle. I only drink tap at home, but I know that bottled water is drawn from very different sources, and certainly some has quite different taste and taste is certainly a function of water </pedantic> Fortunately you yourself mounted an effective defence against pedantry by qualifying that with "for the purposes of this discussion".

AceyMan 7y ago
> [...] because I know that bottled water is drawn from very different sources Errrm, except that's not the case whatsoever. Citation, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pepsi-say-aquafina-tap-water/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pepsi-say-aquafina-tap-wat... /pedantry
- abraae 7y ago
  > Errrm, except that's not the case whatsoever. It absolutely is often the case. You have cited one article about Pepsi's bottled water coming from a tap. That does not make it universally true at all. Bottle water around here is frequently drawn from springs, rivers etc. It is often the cause of bitter arguments about whether the companies are paying enough for it.
  - PeterStuer 7y ago
    Here is another data point for you about Coca Cola's water coming from municipal taps. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasani https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasani That does not mean it is 'bad' water. The point is that municipal tap water is perfectly fine to drink in most places. All water, whether bottled or tap, comes from 'springs, rivers etc.', the 'etc' being pumped up ground water in most cases.