Re: the rich are consolidating their power
I see your 'what ' and raise you a 'the fuck'. Since we both appear confused perhaps Truth4u will break it down for us. I have so many questions.
What happens when the rich have completed their consolidation? Will they form some manner of Voltron? Assuming that while they were in Voltron form they would be structured like any other unified conglomerate, how would taxation work? Particularly important, if only one of the individual elements (let's say the left leg) had been utilizing a Bias-Ply Flying Dutchman tax strategy would that convey and apply to the new entity? If the unified entity fell short of expectations and was reduced to its individual elements would transfers of assets and liabilities between the entities be allowed before the seperation was formalized?
I'm assuming the OS will be hardware agnostic, but what about licensing? Will one license suffice or will each component need its own license? If one of the CEO's is enrolled in university, will a student license be OK? What about regional video playback restrictions? Privacy would normally be a primary concern, but I'm going to assume either the US or UK will be involved, so there's no need to even worry about it.
There's some complex shit in there you know. While you're reviewing the legal/regulatory issues here's a bit more for you to consider.
Tech is a 'boom' industry and people love that kind of shit. Both the petroleum and gold rush(es) were the same. The big headline stories had the same effect with those industries as they do with tech today. The Larry Ellison, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg could have been the guys from Standard Oil.
Those stories are 'fun' sure, everybody likes to imagine what they would do if roles were reversed. But the fact of the matter is that from the instant somebody figured out you could trade shiny rocks for sex there have always been a teeny tiny little group of fabulously wealthy people. Weighted for population, the total number of those ultra wealthy people and the size of the wealth gap has remained constant for millennia. The thing is, you can't concern yourself with that tiny group. You acknowledge they exist and move on. Laughing occasionally as one of them does something stupid.
The existence of that group and the headlines greatly distort reality. They give you the impression that the ultra wealthy are the only kind of financially wealthy people, and that's just wrong. So very, very wrong.
Most people can't really understand the lifestyle a six-figure income can provide. If you don't buy things with insane maintenance costs (sailboat, huge house/castle/palace, Wales) a six figure income will send the kids to college and bail them out of jail, provide you with a very nice home, a few good cars, exciting vacations and a lot of 'freedom'.
Once you cross into the seven figure realm (in cash and liquid assets, not real estate or art and such) it's a completely different world. A million dollars is a fuckton of money (or .9897 of a metric fuckton). Again, if you don't just go crazy, a million dollars will get you just about anything you could want. You would be very surprised at how many famous people barely get to $1M.
Once you pass $10M or so you can choose the apex predator you ride to work and you are eligible to hunt White Humans Whales.
Don't be a fool and think that a handful ultra rich people define any part of your life. Those people aren't helping, or hurting, any aspect of your existence. While I believe all that 'everybody has a chance to make themselves wealthy' nonsense is absolute bullshit, I also believe that there is zero chance of becoming wealthy if you believe other people are preventing you from doing so.
If you ignore those who inherit wealth, the only common denominator among all wealthy people is an absolutely unshakable will and determination. Any attempt to justify or excuse why you aren't wealthy is, in fact, the reason why you aren't wealthy.
I'll tell you what I tell all our portfolio companies. Make your plans, take your risks and see what happens. There are no guarantees and it is entirely possible you will drown yourself and your family in an ever rising tide of debt and eternal lawsuits. Alternatively, be a good, talented employee and loving family guy and/or a valuable part of your community. Be a teacher. It doesn't matter, as long as you accept you are the only person responsible for your success (you decide what success is if it's money that's fine, if it's finger painting that's fine too) and happiness. Nobody else.
If you want to help 3rd world people that's fine. If not that's fine too. But it isn't your place to dictate what others do with their ideas/talent/money.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
