<i>"M.A.: My “software eats the world” thesis plays out in business in three stages:<p>A product is transformed from non-software to (entirely or mainly) software. Music compact discs become MP3’s and then streams. An alarm clock goes from a physical device on your bedside table to an app on your phone. A car goes from bent metal and glass, to software wrapped in bent metal and glass.<p>The producers of these products are transformed from manufacturing or media or financial services companies to (entirely or mainly) software companies. Their core capability becomes creating and running software. This is, of course, a very different discipline and culture from what they used to do.<p>As software redefines the product, and assuming a competitive market not protected by a monopoly position or regulatory capture, the nature of competition in the industry changes until the best software wins, which means the best software company wins. The best software company may be an incumbent or a startup, whoever makes the best software."</i><p>I've never seen this idea stated so succinctly before. Maybe it's time to go back and read the original op-ed [1]. It rings so very true to me but a lot of people are not aware of it happening in this way.<p>[1] <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111903480904576512250915629460" rel="nofollow">https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111903480904576512...</a>