4 ms·
Consider another area: (personal) computer hardware. The IBM PC was a big deal. But innovation really exploded when the PC compatibles came on the scene. IB
by AnimalMuppet 2y ago
Consider another area: (personal) computer hardware.
The IBM PC was a big deal. But innovation really exploded when the PC compatibles came on the scene. IBM tried to stop that by switching to a proprietary architecture (MicroChannel). The market rejected that, because a better bus was less important than all the innovation that came through an open bus.
So, yeah. IBM tried to slow down progress so they could suck more profit out of the market, and the market ran them over with a non-proprietary alternative.
- n4r9 2y agoI think you're arguing that it doesn't matter when a monopoly tries to slow down progress, because a competitor will then overtake them. It sounds like IBM misjudged the market. This isn't how it always plays out - for example, Amazon forces you not to list your products cheaper elsewhere if you want it displayed as a "Featured" buy. But because the lack of viable alternatives means that most sellers bend over backwards rather than take their business elsewhere.