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I'd go further and state that "ecosystems" are evil as they erode competition. It should be easy to change products independently of each other, e.g. I should be free to choose between Apple iCloud or Google Photos for storing my photo library. Instead I'm forced to experience what you already mentioned: integration preferences on different platforms, network effects and so on.

Only direct product properties should drive users' choices, everything else just raises the market entry barrier for potential competitors.




"Ecosystems" certainly are a real problem, although I think calling them "evil" is a bit far. What they are is a way for companies to create an artificial moat, and artificial moats are very bad things.




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