Comments on: Competition is Bad in the Tech World http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/ Using mobile devices since they weighed 30 lbs. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:47:32 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: CSMR http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61423 CSMR Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:09:06 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61423 I don't understand the argument. If X kills Y why is that bad? If X is better than Y then that's good, and if no X can kill Y then Y will be to expensive. I don’t understand the argument. If X kills Y why is that bad? If X is better than Y then that’s good, and if no X can kill Y then Y will be to expensive.

]]> By: dirky http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61414 dirky Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:01:27 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61414 Good title, bad supporting article. Real quick, the thing that's bad about competition in the tech world, particularly in the mobile market, is that exclusivitity deals block communication between people (ie- Verizon's 'the network') on separate networks. Establishing a standard platform for any mode of communication could be a great thing, but if acheived improperly could be extremely dangerous to progress. Like the battle between Dems and Republicans and all things really, there must always be a balance. For this reason, interconnectivity is the best substitute, and is best realized by the cooperative nature of the open source movement. Good title, bad supporting article. Real quick, the thing that’s bad about competition in the tech world, particularly in the mobile market, is that exclusivitity deals block communication between people (ie- Verizon’s ‘the network’) on separate networks. Establishing a standard platform for any mode of communication could be a great thing, but if acheived improperly could be extremely dangerous to progress. Like the battle between Dems and Republicans and all things really, there must always be a balance. For this reason, interconnectivity is the best substitute, and is best realized by the cooperative nature of the open source movement.

]]> By: Serioussam http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61403 Serioussam Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:56:02 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61403 The ultimate competition is WAR. When are most of the worlds leaps of progress made?? During war. Radar: WWII for example. Therefore, competition is great for development and the commentary journalists and bloggers give this competition is good too, even if it is hype driven. That just makes it more interesting. Think about it when you read a headline like "Product x, iPhone killer!!" and you think, 'that is so not true!!". Has the journalist not achieved what he set out to do?? You read it and then bitch about it to your friends. "I read this article on so and so's blog, what a load of rubbish" Now yr friends might go and read it to join in yr discussion in more detail. As far the blogger/journalist goes, I think that it's job done!! Don't you?? More hits; More copies sold; More awareness. Beats the competition of other publications/blogs. And so the competition continues.....;-) The ultimate competition is WAR. When are most of the worlds leaps of progress made?? During war. Radar: WWII for example.

Therefore, competition is great for development and the commentary journalists and bloggers give this competition is good too, even if it is hype driven. That just makes it more interesting. Think about it when you read a headline like “Product x, iPhone killer!!” and you think, ‘that is so not true!!”. Has the journalist not achieved what he set out to do?? You read it and then bitch about it to your friends. “I read this article on so and so’s blog, what a load of rubbish” Now yr friends might go and read it to join in yr discussion in more detail. As far the blogger/journalist goes, I think that it’s job done!! Don’t you?? More hits; More copies sold; More awareness. Beats the competition of other publications/blogs. And so the competition continues…..;-)

]]> By: Oliver http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61379 Oliver Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:34:41 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61379 Life's short... who has time to read or pay attention to the "categories" assigned to blog posts? Life’s short… who has time to read or pay attention to the “categories” assigned to blog posts?

]]> By: tsog http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61368 tsog Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:55:01 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61368 the only downside to competition, i warrant, is the compatibility between different products just look at all the different storage media the only downside to competition, i warrant, is the compatibility between different products
just look at all the different storage media

]]> By: Decade http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61367 Decade Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:01:32 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61367 Well, it's better to believe in your product so much that you think it will kill the competition (or are willing to market it that way), than to be so desperately scared of competition that you give your OS to Nokia, and small computers with decent keyboards disappear from the market for 10 years and then you sue the next people to make small computers for trademark infringement of all things... Apparently, Psion's founder didn't believe in participating in competition. Well, it’s better to believe in your product so much that you think it will kill the competition (or are willing to market it that way), than to be so desperately scared of competition that you give your OS to Nokia, and small computers with decent keyboards disappear from the market for 10 years and then you sue the next people to make small computers for trademark infringement of all things…

Apparently, Psion’s founder didn’t believe in participating in competition.

]]> By: Jason Horrocks http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61362 Jason Horrocks Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:34:28 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61362 Some people takes things too seriously :P Some people takes things too seriously :P

]]> By: gorkon http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61361 gorkon Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:53:54 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61361 Competition is good. The reason is is it drives innovation. Innovation may be cheaper prices for what we already pay for or may drive costs of the exisitng items down thanks to the new category. Case in point, netbooks. When they first came out, notebooks were much higher in cost then they are now. Now notebooks are almost the same price as netbooks. Which do you get?? This is innovation. It's not a high tech innovation we like, but it's more of a right pricing of what we already have. Most people don't need a firebreathing laptop. Netbooks suffice and work because they are cheap and do the job well. Competition is good. The reason is is it drives innovation. Innovation may be cheaper prices for what we already pay for or may drive costs of the exisitng items down thanks to the new category. Case in point, netbooks. When they first came out, notebooks were much higher in cost then they are now. Now notebooks are almost the same price as netbooks. Which do you get?? This is innovation. It’s not a high tech innovation we like, but it’s more of a right pricing of what we already have. Most people don’t need a firebreathing laptop. Netbooks suffice and work because they are cheap and do the job well.

]]> By: JB http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61342 JB Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:40:55 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61342 Actually, I think the whole "killer" thing is simply because journalists, especially tech journalists, are always looking for a way to hype whatever they are writing about, and create drama whether there is any inherent in the topic or not. Take, for example, political journalism, where the bulk if what is written is about the latest campaign moves, the gaffs, the strategies, etc., and very little is actually written about the candidates positions on issues, other than to discuss whether they may have changed them. Likewise, tech journalists prefer to write about the 'exciting' battle between two products, which takes much less thought, understanding, and time than writing a detailed, objective analysis of a product and the situations in which it might be optimal for particular users or not. It also makes for (or is thought to make for) more 'exciting' reading, even if it's much less useful. So, it's not that competition is bad, it's just that most tech journalists, and especially most bloggers, are bad journalists and lack an in-depth understanding of the products and industries about which they write. So, rather than giving objective analysis, they resort to hype about 'killers', and the 'next big thing'. Actually, I think the whole “killer” thing is simply because journalists, especially tech journalists, are always looking for a way to hype whatever they are writing about, and create drama whether there is any inherent in the topic or not. Take, for example, political journalism, where the bulk if what is written is about the latest campaign moves, the gaffs, the strategies, etc., and very little is actually written about the candidates positions on issues, other than to discuss whether they may have changed them.

Likewise, tech journalists prefer to write about the ‘exciting’ battle between two products, which takes much less thought, understanding, and time than writing a detailed, objective analysis of a product and the situations in which it might be optimal for particular users or not. It also makes for (or is thought to make for) more ‘exciting’ reading, even if it’s much less useful.

So, it’s not that competition is bad, it’s just that most tech journalists, and especially most bloggers, are bad journalists and lack an in-depth understanding of the products and industries about which they write. So, rather than giving objective analysis, they resort to hype about ‘killers’, and the ‘next big thing’.

]]> By: AllanCJ http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61341 AllanCJ Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:48:54 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61341 I've noticed the effect James talks of. When I hear business leaders talking, they always trumpet the virtues of competition, yet their actions belie what they say. They not only want to beat their competitors, but to vanquish them. They try to create a world with less competition, not more. Someone will say this is only natural, and ask if I wouldn't behave in the same way. That is somewhat beside the point. What I'm trying to pin down is the inconsistency of statements and actions in this area of life. I’ve noticed the effect James talks of. When I hear business leaders talking, they always trumpet the virtues of competition, yet their actions belie what they say. They not only want to beat their competitors, but to vanquish them. They try to create a world with less competition, not more.

Someone will say this is only natural, and ask if I wouldn’t behave in the same way. That is somewhat beside the point. What I’m trying to pin down is the inconsistency of statements and actions in this area of life.

]]> By: James Kendrick http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61337 James Kendrick Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:43:01 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61337 And the post category is... And the post category is…

]]> By: kevin white http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61336 kevin white Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:25:31 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61336 There's a difference between "competition", and "Marketing". 'iPhone Killer' is not competition, it's marketing yap. There’s a difference between “competition”, and “Marketing”. ‘iPhone Killer’ is not competition, it’s marketing yap.

]]> By: John in Norway http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61335 John in Norway Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:17:51 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61335 Maybe, like your bible, it's meant to be taken metaphorically? I know when I see that statement, that's how I take it. Maybe, like your bible, it’s meant to be taken metaphorically? I know when I see that statement, that’s how I take it.

]]> By: AllanCJ http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61334 AllanCJ Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:15:10 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61334 In the UK, the existence of five competing 3G companies has produced some cheap phone and mobile broadband deals. This is nice if you live in urban areas. However, in rural areas it's impossible for five competing companies each to build a decent network and make a profit, given such a low-density customer base. The rural market can probably only sustain one or two proper networks. The result is a poor rural service. It's hard not to believe that the rural scene would be better served by collaboration than competition. In the UK, the existence of five competing 3G companies has produced some cheap phone and mobile broadband deals. This is nice if you live in urban areas. However, in rural areas it’s impossible for five competing companies each to build a decent network and make a profit, given such a low-density customer base. The rural market can probably only sustain one or two proper networks. The result is a poor rural service. It’s hard not to believe that the rural scene would be better served by collaboration than competition.

]]> By: Sumocat http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61333 Sumocat Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:56:29 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61333 "It seems that every new smartphone is going to kill off some other phone. That must mean that competition is a bad thing if we all want a new product to kill off an existing one." -- Huh? "Kill or be killed" is the ultimate level of competition. Calling for "killers" means we want fiercer competition, not less of it. “It seems that every new smartphone is going to kill off some other phone. That must mean that competition is a bad thing if we all want a new product to kill off an existing one.” — Huh? “Kill or be killed” is the ultimate level of competition. Calling for “killers” means we want fiercer competition, not less of it.

]]> By: Davis http://jkontherun.com/2009/06/15/competition-is-bad-in-the-tech-world/#comment-61331 Davis Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:16:56 +0000 http://jkontherun.com/?p=37802#comment-61331 too much violent language in this segment of the tech world -- how about "challenge" instead of "kill"? too much violent language in this segment of the tech world — how about “challenge” instead of “kill”?

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