However, Microsoft benefited tremendously from the open standards of the IBM PC platform. Once again, open standards win. As open source software developed by the Free Software Foundation's GNU project became a serious alternative, a variety of less open software vendors were driven out of business. GNU gcc has cornered much of the compiler market, driving competitors like Lucid out of the business. Again, not many.
Open standards win.
Over the past 35 years the computer industry has always gravitated toward the more open solution. Linux is just the next great example of that. As the industry continues to embrace open standards, the standard to which companies are held becomes more strict. Sun, once considered an open company, is now perceived as closed. At one time Sun's Java license would have been considered generous.