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You are missing the biggest key to everything: The network effect doesn't happen if people have to install software. FB and twitter et all are so pervasive beca

You are missing the biggest key to everything: The network effect doesn't happen if people have to install software. FB and twitter et all are so pervasive because the 90% of the population that is tech illiterate can use it by just signing up. When you talk about things people can pay any host to run, you've already lost the argument. Aside from the need to install, now people also have to pay for hosting, which is a huge negative.

EGreg 7y ago
I disagree, because Wordpress powers 34% of all websites in the world. Surely that is an example of adoption? Showing it’s possible for non techies to own their own stuff? What about the Web? Why did people install web servers instead of hosting on AOL? Because web Browsers existed, and let you consume that data. Couldn’t you likewise argue that no business would want to mess around with hosting their own website and a bevy of competing hosting providers would never displace AOL?
- ecnahc515 7y ago
  > I disagree, because Wordpress powers 34% of all websites in the world. Surely that is an example of adoption? Showing it’s possible for non techies to own their own stuff? This is a very bad example since most of them are insecure, out of date, and not actually run by the non-techies. Most people just contract it out, once to someone who said he could setup a Wordpress site for cheap, and then they just pay them or someone else to make any major changes. If it isn't that, it's another company, or Wordpress itself hosting their instance, again, the software isn't being run by the "non-techie". > Why did people install web servers instead of hosting on AOL? I don't think a lot of people did, again, they paid someone else to host it. Shared web hosting was, and still is, a very large market.
  - EGreg 7y ago
    That’s what I said. There are companies which are in the business of hosting and they compete unlike the monopoly on hosting Facebook. People pay them to take care of hosting. But they have a choice.
peterkelly 7y ago
> The network effect doesn't happen if people have to install software Plenty of people installed the facebook, twitter, and instagram apps on their phone - and in many cases don't even use the web interfaces. Local software installation is not an issue when it's as streamlined as the current mobile experience.

EGreg 7y ago

I disagree, because Wordpress powers 34% of all websites in the world. Surely that is an example of adoption? Showing it’s possible for non techies to own their own stuff? What about the Web? Why did people install web servers instead of hosting on AOL? Because web Browsers existed, and let you consume that data. Couldn’t you likewise argue that no business would want to mess around with hosting their own website and a bevy of competing hosting providers would never displace AOL?

ecnahc515 7y ago
> I disagree, because Wordpress powers 34% of all websites in the world. Surely that is an example of adoption? Showing it’s possible for non techies to own their own stuff? This is a very bad example since most of them are insecure, out of date, and not actually run by the non-techies. Most people just contract it out, once to someone who said he could setup a Wordpress site for cheap, and then they just pay them or someone else to make any major changes. If it isn't that, it's another company, or Wordpress itself hosting their instance, again, the software isn't being run by the "non-techie". > Why did people install web servers instead of hosting on AOL? I don't think a lot of people did, again, they paid someone else to host it. Shared web hosting was, and still is, a very large market.
- EGreg 7y ago
  That’s what I said. There are companies which are in the business of hosting and they compete unlike the monopoly on hosting Facebook. People pay them to take care of hosting. But they have a choice.

peterkelly 7y ago

> The network effect doesn't happen if people have to install software Plenty of people installed the facebook, twitter, and instagram apps on their phone - and in many cases don't even use the web interfaces. Local software installation is not an issue when it's as streamlined as the current mobile experience.