[jfischer]

Hmmm. If we look at some past examples of cases in the consumer internet space where a new entrant overtook an entrenched player (e.g. Google vs. other search engines and Facebook vs. Myspace), I think you need to have something new and compelling about your application to drive adoption. I don't know of any cases where just cloning an existing app was successful for a startup. Has movement to a new player every been driven by openness concerns?

What can you do that is different from Twitter and cannot easily be copied by them?

[kirubakaran]

If enough of us "nerds" get pissed of by the actions of Twitter, can't we ourselves provide the initial momentum for an open alternative, with HN having 80k daily uniques and all? Does it have to have better features? (although that will help)

[rch]

Making something better is the easy part.

[btmorex]

I'm sure you meant consumer facing applications, but I might as well point out that there exceptions in the general case.

Linux has nearly completely taken over from UNIX and it did this (at least originally) by simply being more open.

[lukes]

It's all about critical mass. If techies who care about it being open switch over and then it becomes the most popular amongst HN readers, then it can grow out from there.