The 8 Commandments

1. Think platform, not software.
2. Create functional software to extend the reach of the platform and drive platform adoption.
3. Build functionality first.
4. If the user can do it, the user has to be able to see it.
5. Aggregate, don't consolidate.
6. Independence; browser and O/S.
7. Elegance rules; speed, simplicity, immediacy.
8. The user's needs are the most important thing

Anyone doing the above will never really have any competitors; different organisations are always going to develop original (or not) spins on the same function.

 

However, if an application is a means to getting a user to the platform...then all applications are good news, no matter who generates them.