Signal has two things most non-profit efforts lack. First, in @moxie, a talented, technical-capable, ambitious, & mission-driven leader. Second, in @brianacton, @jankoum, & likely @jack as well as @elonmusk, you have an endless supply of funding. That's a powerful combination.
For Facebook/WhatsApp this represents a extreme form of what I call "orthogonal" competition. There is no class in business school that tells you how to deal with a formidable, non-commercial player in the market. Your core intuitions about how to attack & respond are likely off.
Which is why it's so fascinating to me. Perhaps Microsoft watching Linux dominate the Web server market is a similar comparison, although that was the enterprise & not consumer. Some might point to Firefox, but I would argue consumers are more sensitive to privacy on messaging.
Can't wait to see how this plays out. If Signal is able to upend WhatsApp's global network effect it would be quite historic.
You can follow @bgurley.
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