[pgsandstrom]

Two parts:

1) Information gathering. This one I think needs no explanation

2) Controlling a platform is incredible powerful in influencing your users. Lets say you control an OS. Then you can nag on your users to also use your browser! If you control the browser, you can nag your users to use you mail system. Perhaps someday they will nag on the users to use their marketplace, their movie distribution system, their whatever.

[eckza]

Adding to 2): Microsoft has tried to embrace / extend / extinguish the open web on more than one occasion.

They're nowhere near striking distance of making that happen; but you can bet your life that if they were, that they'd make a run at it.

[ryandrake]

Newsflash: nearly every major tech company that has a large Internet presence would like nothing more than to extinguish the open web and user choice. Unfortunately for users, ecosystem lock-in is in everyone’s play book.

[eckza]

And unfortunately for users, it’s wildly profitable.