Comments on: Hidden barriers to entry and other fairy tales http://aaronmentele.com/2007/03/01/hidden-barriers-to-entry-and-other-fairy-tales/ personal blog of Aaron Mentele, web developer and partner at Electric Pulp Sat, 24 Jul 2010 06:48:01 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: Competitive advantage at charisma:18 http://aaronmentele.com/2007/03/01/hidden-barriers-to-entry-and-other-fairy-tales/comment-page-1/#comment-14476 Competitive advantage at charisma:18 Sun, 20 May 2007 06:15:26 +0000 http://charisma18.com/2007/03/01/hidden-barriers-to-entry-and-other-fairy-tales/#comment-14476 [...] building your own Hotel California is the best way to own a category. Because, while there’s no such thing as a barrier to entry preventing would-be competitors from giving chase, there is such a thing as golden [...] [...] building your own Hotel California is the best way to own a category. Because, while there’s no such thing as a barrier to entry preventing would-be competitors from giving chase, there is such a thing as golden [...]

]]> By: Sameer http://aaronmentele.com/2007/03/01/hidden-barriers-to-entry-and-other-fairy-tales/comment-page-1/#comment-10214 Sameer Thu, 08 Mar 2007 23:04:52 +0000 http://charisma18.com/2007/03/01/hidden-barriers-to-entry-and-other-fairy-tales/#comment-10214 Nicely written Aaron. I also think undue attention gets paid to "the space" very often. I don't think there's a definition yet and there shouldn't be one for 'spaces' that are still nacent. Very often, a focus on solving specific pain points instead of measuring up against some imaginary industry starndard and you'll be fine. Say hi if you are ever in the bay area. Cheers, Sameer Nicely written Aaron.
I also think undue attention gets paid to “the space” very often. I don’t think there’s a definition yet and there shouldn’t be one for ’spaces’ that are still nacent. Very often, a focus on solving specific pain points instead of measuring up against some imaginary industry starndard and you’ll be fine.

Say hi if you are ever in the bay area.

Cheers, Sameer

]]> By: Aaron Mentele http://aaronmentele.com/2007/03/01/hidden-barriers-to-entry-and-other-fairy-tales/comment-page-1/#comment-10015 Aaron Mentele Sun, 04 Mar 2007 01:57:13 +0000 http://charisma18.com/2007/03/01/hidden-barriers-to-entry-and-other-fairy-tales/#comment-10015 Omnipresent, yes. I agree, "available" and "valuable" are two different things. And I think the Web 2.o push has encouraged a lot of immature entrants that don't understand how to position themselves as a paid service. Until Feed Rinse, I didn't think I liked subsidizing one venture with another, but other factors came into play. You're right about enterprise - higher expectations (accountability, revenue, etc.) Omnipresent, yes.

I agree, “available” and “valuable” are two different things. And I think the Web 2.o push has encouraged a lot of immature entrants that don’t understand how to position themselves as a paid service. Until Feed Rinse, I didn’t think I liked subsidizing one venture with another, but other factors came into play.

You’re right about enterprise – higher expectations (accountability, revenue, etc.)

]]> By: Peter Cooper http://aaronmentele.com/2007/03/01/hidden-barriers-to-entry-and-other-fairy-tales/comment-page-1/#comment-9911 Peter Cooper Fri, 02 Mar 2007 07:49:33 +0000 http://charisma18.com/2007/03/01/hidden-barriers-to-entry-and-other-fairy-tales/#comment-9911 Omnipresent. However.. most would just say I don't get out enough ;-) I guess my real opinion on all of this is that it's never a good idea to pretend to be something you're not, but also to be proud of what you are. There's a small group of services in this area, FeedRinse included, that are clearly professional, well developed, and able to deal with a reasonably amount of scale. Sadly, all of this is mostly invisible, and I think that results in an invisible barrier many developers don't appreciate. The thing I pride most about Feed Digest is that it can happily serve hundreds of millions of requests each month each within a second within no significant blips. FeedBurner is about ten times or more than that.. and FeedRinse.. well you'd know the numbers on that :) I must admit I'm surprised to see FeedRinse going all-free, but I'm guessing your agency is doing well enough otherwise that it's a bonus side project. And.. I think things might all go that way in this field for regular users. They're too used to free nowadays. It's the businesses and enterprise customers who'll pay.. and that's another significant boundary.. having those contacts and the sales talent to hook the money clients, but that's another story. :) Omnipresent. However.. most would just say I don’t get out enough ;-)

I guess my real opinion on all of this is that it’s never a good idea to pretend to be something you’re not, but also to be proud of what you are. There’s a small group of services in this area, FeedRinse included, that are clearly professional, well developed, and able to deal with a reasonably amount of scale.

Sadly, all of this is mostly invisible, and I think that results in an invisible barrier many developers don’t appreciate. The thing I pride most about Feed Digest is that it can happily serve hundreds of millions of requests each month each within a second within no significant blips. FeedBurner is about ten times or more than that.. and FeedRinse.. well you’d know the numbers on that :)

I must admit I’m surprised to see FeedRinse going all-free, but I’m guessing your agency is doing well enough otherwise that it’s a bonus side project. And.. I think things might all go that way in this field for regular users. They’re too used to free nowadays. It’s the businesses and enterprise customers who’ll pay.. and that’s another significant boundary.. having those contacts and the sales talent to hook the money clients, but that’s another story. :)

]]>