> Key costs like hosting are way cheaper, back then you probably had to rack server in a data center, now you can deploy a free/cheap PaaS with a free/cheap dat

> Key costs like hosting are way cheaper, back then you probably had to rack server in a data center, now you can deploy a free/cheap PaaS with a free/cheap database while you find PMF. Back in the day I have delivered several different cheap 1U rackmount servers to data centres. Once took one - using public transport - to whatever suitable spot in the Docklands in East London. Travelling on the DLR with a server under one arm was a a memorable experience. Long story short: you can do a lot from a $1000 server, if you put your mind to it. Yet these days it seems PaaS is better, (over-)paying GCP/AWS/Azure, while you grope around to find a product that will sell for $$$ before your cloud credits run out?