The Apple IBM/Microsoft debate of the 80s is replaying itself in crypto.
Bitcoin is IBM, litecoin is ibm compatible and Dash is Apple. Back then Apple's strengths prevented it from cooperating. Will the same thing happen to Dash?
IBM vs Apple the economics
IBM famously outsourced its software (Microsoft) and chips (intel) to others and allowed companies to make ibm compatible computers. Apple was vertically integrated. While IBM computers were thought to be inferior and harder to use than apples, the ecosystem they produced bested Apple. The ibm compatible strategy allowed it to win the network effects game. IBM compatibles gained share and became the standard, in the process creating attractive businesses for msft and intc. Apple on the other hand had less money for development in a rapidly advancing field and had to compete in processing , operating and hardware against a competitor with more units to spread development across.
Why Dash is a new Apple
I fear Dash is headed down the same road.
They quickly surpassed bitcoin in anonymity and speed and with evolution will also pass them in usability. Their governance creates a powerful system to direct funds at new issues and keep up the pace of innovation. However the fact that dash can provide for all on its own mean it has to. Why would a developer want to develop a wallet when Dash evolution will be a better one. This might be why Coinbase has not yet added dash. Why would an exchange want to add dash unless it was paid. Others want to build businesses because they are not worried the coin will compete with them. Dash treasury must build the best tumbling service, the best wallet, the best of everything. It can lead for a while but the more decentralized system will likely win out in the end.
Enter the bitcoin compatibles
Bitcoin is ibm in our example.
Bitcoin might not win in the end but it's creating an ecosystem of software that can be used by all. Litecoin, the ibm compatible of crypto can use all the mixing smart contact lighting network wallets and payment engines that bitcoin developed. It can thus scale much faster as dell and compaq did by focusing I a few things (speed to segwit is like dells system) and doing them well. Stratis might also fit here. Is leveraging the bitcoin ecosystem for mass adoption by making bitcoin easier. I think the bitcoin compatibles are real threats because they focus on only a few things.
What Dash can do to avoid Apples 1990s fate
To the extent Apple was successful they had
- superior marketing in creating Apple loyalist. Dash is already doing this with them dash nation.
- Apple also started specializing in perfecting innovations. It was second to market with iPods and smart phones and tablets yet dominated these markets.
- Finally they were successful in making the integrations seamless and easy.
If Dash is to be successful it needs to watch for innovations and implement them better than the innovators (maybe coin mixing is an example) and they need to focus on the fiction between parts of the ecosystem.
As the cryptoeco systems developed further this will be the key to dashes suceess.
Will it be more like 80s Apple or 2000s Apple?
Thoughts?