from Hacker News

Eliminating competition is now a theoretical concept

by askintml on 6/2/24, 6:52 AM with 1 comments

Eliminating competition is now a theoretical concept. This is why startups are currently failing. Being a monopoly and setting the rules no longer works. Now, only the customer sets the rules. Social media has greatly strengthened communication. When a product monopoly tries to change prices or standards against the user's interest, the user can quickly switch to and learn about a competitor's product. The era of permanent moats is over.

  • by zer00eyz on 6/2/24, 7:00 AM

    >> Being a monopoly and setting the rules no longer works.

    Can you point to an actual monopoly? I would love for you to show me one. I will wait.

    There are some duoplies. Not the same, they aren't even close.

    One of the last great monopolies was AT&T ... we got unix out of that deal.

    Xerox was close... Modern GUI's came from it.

    Someone will say apple. They are more or less vertically integrated, as is YKK zippers (you know the ones that dont break or get jammed).

    The world keeps moving on, companies rise and fall. GE, IBM, US Steel, 50 years ago they were the apples and MS's of their day. Now, no one cares about them.

    You're right about the outcome, but wrong about the reason... same as it ever was.