Date: Sun, 21 Nov 1999 17:42:48 -0800 From: "David Schwartz" <davids@webmaster.com> To: "Brett Glass" <brett@lariat.org> Cc: <freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: RE: Judge: "Gates Was Main Culprit" Message-ID: <000501bf348a$e1aa2a60$021d85d1@youwant.to> In-Reply-To: <4.2.0.58.19991121182151.0471cc20@localhost>
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> > In other words, we are all lock into 35mm film, > cameras, and processing. > > Nonsense. There's no lock-in with 35mm, because 35mm is a readily > available multi-sourced commodity. Lock in has nothing whatsoever to do with availability or sourcing. Actually, the most available products are the ones we are most likely to be locked in to. Part of the reason we are so locked into PC compatables (and part of the reason for the success of the platform) is that it was widely cloned and improved upon. Any 'superior' platform that tries to replace the PC will have to combat this lock in. It's ability to do so will depend upon many factors, including primarily how superior it is. Theoretically, all you need for lock in is some benefit to compatability. So it can apply to pretty much any standard. Not all lock in is harmful. If we all benefit from using the same size film, then that's beneficial lock in. If we all benefit from having the same processor architecture, then that's beneficial lock in. There's only a problem when some superior product has to 'climb uphill' to break the lock in. The benefit to breaking the lock in is the total additional value that the superior technology provides over the current technology summed over all users. This benefit is the maximum that can be reaped by whoever manages to break the lock in. Suppose I developed a product today that was superior to Microsoft Office. Suppose it was so superior that in combination of how much less I could charge or how much more people were willing to pay, I could get $10 more for it (per copy) than Microsoft could. I might have to face some lock in -- people like the compatability of Microsoft Office. So I'd have to do something to get off the ground. Perhaps I could offer it to people who already have Microsoft Office for just $10. Perhaps I could give it away for free to help build critical mass. If I can find some way to break that compatability barrier, consumers can reap that extra value my product provides. I may not reap that benefit. Microsoft could just lower their price $10, or add the features that I provide. But consumers are sure to get it either way, either from me or from Microsoft. From a public policy standpoint, we shouldn't care which. DS To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
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