The race to the bottom

There is an economic principle that is named for this and it is epitomized by WalMart and the lowest price push to drive everyone out of the market, only to leverage its position once the competition is banished. It is an effective method and is practiced by all the businesses and in times of economic change the principle is never more obvious.

It is the ultimate race to the bottom that interests me most. That is open source and the sharing of information for the common gain. It is the best race to the bottom as it will always win because the cost margin is zero. This is what makes companies like Microsoft and others hate it so in the same way that retailers that are pushed out by the tactics of a large conglomerate. Though the game is about the same, the conclusion of the game is quite different. In the end, open technology has a monopoly without a control structure and drive to take that advantage and use it for individual gain. It is a winning game for all, but whether people it is recognized and embraced is still an -open- question.