The story displays a lack of historical perspective which I find common among technologists particularly those focussing on IT. The entire article seems to be

The story displays a lack of historical perspective which I find common among technologists particularly those focussing on IT. The entire article seems to be based on the following premise: "In the past, IBM, Oracle or Microsoft sold technology to other companies, as a tool - they sold computers and software to GE, P&G and Citibank. Now there’s a generation of companies that both create software and use it themselves to enter another industry, and often to change it." This claim of an unprecedented economic change currently occurring seems obviously indefensible to me or at the very least historically ignorant? New companies exploiting (rather than selling) new technology (not just software) to displace incumbents is the oldest story in the world. And IBM, Microsoft and Oracle still sell technology as far as I can see.