'Commoditize Your Complement': Why a 2002 Joel Spolsky Strategy Letter Explains AI-Era Software Moats
ricklamers · x · 2026-10-30
ricklamers argues the current 'no moat, all software can be cloned' moment maps strikingly well onto Joel Spolsky's 2002 Strategy Letter V. The letter's core idea: demand for a product rises as its complements get cheaper, so companies fund open source as a 'commoditize your complement' strategy. His takeaway — businesses that naturally gain value as infinite software arrives are in a great spot.
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