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RE: re: Good Times Ahead for "Sharecroppers"? (Was: [OT] TimBr

• To: 'David Megginson' <david@m...>, xml-dev@l...
• Subject: RE: re: Good Times Ahead for "Sharecroppers"? (Was: [OT] TimBray on Slashdot)
• From: Didier PH Martin <martind@n...>
• Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 14:06:36 -0400
• Importance: Normal
• In-reply-to: <16146.56166.293752.682973@m...>

Hi David

David said:
 I wouldn't object to building a software product specifically for a
closed-source platform, but I would do so only if I could reasonably
hope to amortize the development costs over, say, 18 months or less of
sales.  Past that point, the risks that Tim describes become more and
more significant.

Didier replies:
May I add that if, in addition, you make some substantial profits and if the
product's demand is revealed as a "high growth niche" and "benefits from a
substantial potential market" then you can be sure that the landlord will
try to satisfy his gargantuan appetite and will, off course, harvest the
same field as you. Any serf who succeed is a potential revolution and
landlords cannot tolerate a revolution, it's a matter of survival.

"The people have no more bread to eat" said the minister, "they only have to
eat cakes" replied the queen (Marie Antoinette queen of Louis XVI). Guess
what the sharecroppers would replied to the same question :-)

I agree with you David, when you discover rich fields, better plan short
term because, sooner or later the sharecroppers will see opportunities.
That, until the ecosystem balance is changed. The previous order was around
mainframes, now its around PCs. What can change that? 

"I like your machine but its still a toy" (An IBM guy told me when he saw my
Xerox Star a couple years ago). What is a toy today may be the next center
of the ecosystem.

We have just to ask ourselves, what do we see today as toys? As not powerful
enough, etc... The answer may gives us a clue from where the revolution will
come.

Cheers
Didier
-------------------------------------------------------------
Didier PH Martin              http://didier-martin.com   
OpenJade Project              http://dsssl.netfolder.com 
Coming soon....               http://xml.netfolder.com
Coming soon....               http://blog.didier-martin.com
-------------------------------------------------------------

• References:
  • re: Good Times Ahead for "Sharecroppers"? (Was: [OT] Tim Bray on Slashdot)
    • From: David Megginson <david@m...>

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