And it's a particularly relevant observation at a time when some segments of the industry are pushing for a VM or native code execution facilities in the browser. Having a universal client that works from human-readable code -- and having a `view source` feature for easy reading -- has provided a platform (and atop it, a culture) where every instance serves as an example and it's likely a significant portion of the reason why the web as grown and moved forward the way it has.
The other point behind the piece may be that the value "owning" an idea is limited at best; good execution generates a lot more value, both for you and your customers and the market at large. You could spend a lot of time trying to protect your ideas either by holding your cards close to your chest or through legal strategies, but the last 20 years seem to indicate you're likely to do a lot better by going to market well.
And it's a particularly relevant observation at a time when some segments of the industry are pushing for a VM or native code execution facilities in the browser. Having a universal client that works from human-readable code -- and having a `view source` feature for easy reading -- has provided a platform (and atop it, a culture) where every instance serves as an example and it's likely a significant portion of the reason why the web as grown and moved forward the way it has.
The other point behind the piece may be that the value "owning" an idea is limited at best; good execution generates a lot more value, both for you and your customers and the market at large. You could spend a lot of time trying to protect your ideas either by holding your cards close to your chest or through legal strategies, but the last 20 years seem to indicate you're likely to do a lot better by going to market well.