Which tech giants will still be around after 100 years?

#1

Post by teralaser » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 8:04 PM UTC

Which tech giants will still be around after 100 years?
economist.com

Re: Which tech giants will still be around after 100 years?

#2

Post by reso » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 8:16 PM UTC

Facebook has huge promise, but I think it is still too young to tell if it has legs on the order of a century. On the other hand, Google has already shown its ability to hop platforms again and again (Search to E-mail, Web to Mobile, Software to Automotive), and their head-start in artificial intelligence will make them an important force for at least two decades. I would bet Google is the company of this generation that is still around in 2050.

Re: Which tech giants will still be around after 100 years?

#3

Post by kenjackson » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 8:21 PM UTC

Horrible article. It makes an arbitrary distinction between products and ideas. I'm sure if you asked Michael Dell, even 10 years ago, what his company is about at its core -- he'd probably say something more like delivering technology to consumers and businesses, customized to fit their individual needs, and using the best processes and efficiencies to deliver at the lowest price possible.

Don't bother wasting your time reading it. You'll have wasted two minutes, learned nothing, and have even less respect for the Economist.

Re: Which tech giants will still be around after 100 years?

#4

Post by Newky » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 8:22 PM UTC

reso wrote: post #2

Facebook has huge promise, but I think it is still too young to tell if it has legs on the order of a century. On the other hand, Google has already shown its ability to hop platforms again and again (Search to E-mail, Web to Mobile, Software to Automotive), and their head-start in artificial intelligence will make them an important force for at least two decades. I would bet Google is the company of this generation…

I would have thought that facebook single area of expertise (at this time anyway) makes it a company thats longevity is not guaranteed. When you consider the fact that we are seeing the monopoly that was (and still is to a large extent) Microsoft challenged very seriously on many fronts, and you look at the amount of area's they are involved in, similarily, the longevity of these companies depend on their ability to change their dynamic like IBM.

Re: Which tech giants will still be around after 100 years?

#5

Post by zyfo » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 8:22 PM UTC

reso wrote: post #2

Facebook has huge promise, but I think it is still too young to tell if it has legs on the order of a century. On the other hand, Google has already shown its ability to hop platforms again and again (Search to E-mail, Web to Mobile, Software to Automotive), and their head-start in artificial intelligence will make them an important force for at least two decades. I would bet Google is the company of this generation…

I agree about Google, but I don't think Facebook is even remotely in the same class. For all I know it could be gone in a couple of years. Apple and Amazon seem like two much more likely candidates, along with Google.

Re: Which tech giants will still be around after 100 years?

#6

Post by protomyth » Sun, Jun 12, 2011, 8:26 PM UTC

I think Facebook is really in the most danger of the whole group. I can't help but think something else will show up.

Apple has a good shot, but I think Dell is not going to be around. It just seems like the integrated model is going to last and Microsoft is going to do it own thing (ala XBox).

Google might have serious problems if something other than the web shows up and advertising is harder. I am really not convinced (despite the efforts of many) that the web is the endpoint.