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Microsoft made a killing by being second to market, except maybe for BASIC when they started. Operating systems, second (or third even). Applications? Second
by spc476 15y ago
Microsoft made a killing by being second to market, except maybe for BASIC when they started. Operating systems, second (or third even). Applications? Second. Graphical interfaces? Second (and I remember when Microsoft was the David to Apple's Goliath in the "Look-and-Feel Lawsuits" of the mid-80s). There's not much Microsoft was first at.
- trevelyan 15y agoIf a startup has the resources of Microsoft isn't it a bit disingenuous to call it a startup? No-one is saying that it is impossible, simply that it is much more difficult and you tend to need a lot more time, money and resources to do it. Google needed significant venture capital to fund free search when its competitors were paying the bills with sponsored placements. Ford had a ton of investment to start, while Microsoft leveraged its position with DOS to push Windows. Of course there are examples of companies taking market share from initial entrants and eventually dominating markets. The point is that if you're a small startup this is really difficult. As I see it, the only really decent example listed above with relevance to this community is Reddit, but even that is a somewhat cautionary tale given the fact the founders sold it. Which isn't a critical observation, but probably gives a fairly objective read on what Alexis and crew must have felt their prospects were for keeping the business independent.