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Smart companies commoditize their complements. Google commoditizes software and builds moats around search and advertising. http://www.joelonsoftware.com/artic
by pkaler 17y ago
Smart companies commoditize their complements. Google commoditizes software and builds moats around search and advertising.
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/StrategyLetterV.html http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/StrategyLetterV.html
This isn't about altruism. This is smart business. I bet someone at Google figured out they could insert at least $106.5m worth of ads into video.
- symesc 17y agoGreat points. I bet you're right that the $106.5m number could be easily returned and more. What I like about Google's approach, compared to Microsoft's or Apple's or Comcast's or [insert Fortune 500 company], is that their goal is to not make ALL the money nor control ALL the components between point A and point me. Google has a different M.O. than the established technology players, and the others are finding Google difficult emulate/kill/marginalize/contain. I reminds me of the "which would win in a fight, a Tiger or an Alligator" question, the answer to which depends on where they're fighting, land or water. Google may not even be on the planet, never mind land or water, and may not even be aware of the rules of the fight. They would scare me if it weren't for their consistent contributions to Open Source.