5 ms·

Building a business that relies on a platform you can’t function without is irresponsible. It’s not just bad for you because of how fragile it makes your busine

by swiley 7y ago

Building a business that relies on a platform you can’t function without is irresponsible. It’s not just bad for you because of how fragile it makes your business but it’s also bad for everyone else because it normalizes it and makes building stable businesses harder.

cwyers 7y ago
...but he can function without it. He built a replacement.
- ec109685 7y ago
  And there are others if his falls short: https://vungle.com/ https://vungle.com/
  - optimiz3 7y ago
    Vungle is interstitials only; it doesn't have anywhere near the fill rates or yields as MSA.
frozenport 7y ago
Worst case is he paid his dozen developers for a decade. Sounds responsible.
scarface74 7y ago
You mean like every console game maker?
wtracy 7y ago
What's the alternative for native mobile apps today? Roll your own smartphone OS? And yes, I'm deeply frustrated with Apple and Google for so forceably locking everyone into their walled gardens.
- BlueTemplar 7y ago
  And what are you going to do about it? I'm researching Google-free LineageOS and checking out Librem's smartphone...
  - wtracy 7y ago
    If you think there's ever going to be enough people flashing their phones with custom ROMs to support an industry of consumer software developers, I think you're going to be very disappointed. Now, if we could get some major carriers and/or retailers backing Librem, that could be interesting. I'm not holding my breath, though.
    - BlueTemplar 7y ago
      Yeah, mostly the second. Though it doesn't stand much of a chance until something (more serious) is done about the GAFAM...
- scarface74 7y ago
  Because I know if it weren’t for Apple I would be downloading Random software from the Internet from an unknown developer and giving them my payment information.....
  - tomc1985 7y ago
    What's wrong with that? Much excellent software is still purchased in just this way Or is trust a forgotten skill nowadays?
    - scarface74 7y ago
      I don’t know - adware, viruses, etc.? With the tight security of iOS and to a lesser extent Android, I know a random app can’t do anything except what I give it permission to do. I’ll download and try any random crap on my iOS device, I’m very careful about what I install on my computer. Right now, my home computer has nothing more than the standard development tools. My other computer has Office, Vuze (for uhh downloading Linux distros), and a Plex server. When you can’t even trust the competence of companies like Google (https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/15235262?hl=en https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/15235262?hl=en) not to screw up your computer or well known companies like Zoom not to install an auto reinstalling backdoor in your computer (https://www.zdnet.com/article/zoom-defends-use-of-local-web-server-on-macs-after-security-report/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/zoom-defends-use-of-local-web-...), I’m very wary of installing anything unnecessary on my computer.
overcast 7y ago
So, computers, phones, internet, electricity? I agree to an extent, but there comes a time rolling your own is nonsensical.
- notafraudster 7y ago
  Sure, but when you start building your business you'll probably do some kind of risk analysis and the risk that electricity is no longer available is catastrophic but unlikely, while the risk that Microsoft discontinues a struggling in-app ads system they built as part of their largely failed UWP initiative that they've been signalling backing away from for the last four or five years is both catastrophic and obviously going to happen. Ditto all the Facebook game companies that got eaten when that platform collapsed. I know not every dev can afford a PM but every dev can afford to take a few minutes to do a risk document and check in with it every month or two. It seems to me there really was not a good business case for investing in Microsoft's ad platform to begin with.
  - krajzeg 7y ago
    A risk existing is not a reason to not start a business - nobody would start one if that was the case. The risks taken by this solitaire company seem to have worked out. They got to earn solid revenue for several years and even with MS backing away from their ad platform, they are evidently not without other options.
- fauigerzigerk 7y ago
  I think there are three types of services/markets we depend on: a) Well functioning markets (cars, phones, email, web hosting, computers, delivery services) b) Well regulated markets or public services (electricity or telecom in Europe, well entrenched public data such as SEC filings, open banking in the UK) c) Broken markets ruled by all-powerful oligopolists (app stores, online marketplaces like Amazon/eBay, game consoles, search advertising, social networks) In terms of dependency risk it's clearly c > b > a.
chrismcb 7y ago
Almost everything is built on a platform that you can't control, but need. Trying to build a business without would make building a business harder. You have to take into consideration what your business relies on, and what are the odds of sticks around and plan accordingly. Doesn't mean your business is irresponsible

by swiley 7y ago

cwyers 7y ago

...but he can function without it. He built a replacement.

ec109685 7y ago
And there are others if his falls short: https://vungle.com/ https://vungle.com/
- optimiz3 7y ago
  Vungle is interstitials only; it doesn't have anywhere near the fill rates or yields as MSA.

frozenport 7y ago

Worst case is he paid his dozen developers for a decade. Sounds responsible.

scarface74 7y ago

You mean like every console game maker?

wtracy 7y ago

What's the alternative for native mobile apps today? Roll your own smartphone OS? And yes, I'm deeply frustrated with Apple and Google for so forceably locking everyone into their walled gardens.

BlueTemplar 7y ago
And what are you going to do about it? I'm researching Google-free LineageOS and checking out Librem's smartphone...
- wtracy 7y ago
  If you think there's ever going to be enough people flashing their phones with custom ROMs to support an industry of consumer software developers, I think you're going to be very disappointed. Now, if we could get some major carriers and/or retailers backing Librem, that could be interesting. I'm not holding my breath, though.
  - BlueTemplar 7y ago
    Yeah, mostly the second. Though it doesn't stand much of a chance until something (more serious) is done about the GAFAM...
scarface74 7y ago
Because I know if it weren’t for Apple I would be downloading Random software from the Internet from an unknown developer and giving them my payment information.....
- tomc1985 7y ago
  What's wrong with that? Much excellent software is still purchased in just this way Or is trust a forgotten skill nowadays?
  - scarface74 7y ago
    I don’t know - adware, viruses, etc.? With the tight security of iOS and to a lesser extent Android, I know a random app can’t do anything except what I give it permission to do. I’ll download and try any random crap on my iOS device, I’m very careful about what I install on my computer. Right now, my home computer has nothing more than the standard development tools. My other computer has Office, Vuze (for uhh downloading Linux distros), and a Plex server. When you can’t even trust the competence of companies like Google (https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/15235262?hl=en https://support.google.com/chrome/thread/15235262?hl=en) not to screw up your computer or well known companies like Zoom not to install an auto reinstalling backdoor in your computer (https://www.zdnet.com/article/zoom-defends-use-of-local-web-server-on-macs-after-security-report/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/zoom-defends-use-of-local-web-...), I’m very wary of installing anything unnecessary on my computer.

overcast 7y ago

So, computers, phones, internet, electricity? I agree to an extent, but there comes a time rolling your own is nonsensical.

notafraudster 7y ago
Sure, but when you start building your business you'll probably do some kind of risk analysis and the risk that electricity is no longer available is catastrophic but unlikely, while the risk that Microsoft discontinues a struggling in-app ads system they built as part of their largely failed UWP initiative that they've been signalling backing away from for the last four or five years is both catastrophic and obviously going to happen. Ditto all the Facebook game companies that got eaten when that platform collapsed. I know not every dev can afford a PM but every dev can afford to take a few minutes to do a risk document and check in with it every month or two. It seems to me there really was not a good business case for investing in Microsoft's ad platform to begin with.
- krajzeg 7y ago
  A risk existing is not a reason to not start a business - nobody would start one if that was the case. The risks taken by this solitaire company seem to have worked out. They got to earn solid revenue for several years and even with MS backing away from their ad platform, they are evidently not without other options.
fauigerzigerk 7y ago
I think there are three types of services/markets we depend on: a) Well functioning markets (cars, phones, email, web hosting, computers, delivery services) b) Well regulated markets or public services (electricity or telecom in Europe, well entrenched public data such as SEC filings, open banking in the UK) c) Broken markets ruled by all-powerful oligopolists (app stores, online marketplaces like Amazon/eBay, game consoles, search advertising, social networks) In terms of dependency risk it's clearly c > b > a.

chrismcb 7y ago

Almost everything is built on a platform that you can't control, but need. Trying to build a business without would make building a business harder. You have to take into consideration what your business relies on, and what are the odds of sticks around and plan accordingly. Doesn't mean your business is irresponsible