[pjmlp]

Plan 9 failed because Bell Labs management did not care enough, and eventually placed the team into the Inferno project to try fight against Sun and Java, that is why.

The lesson is that if you want a project to succeed ensure management is on your side for the long road.

I still need to care, because the final decision what to use is not always on my table.

[MisterTea]

The Inferno project was around a year of disruption. But yes, the whole Labs management failure plays a part too.