I don't think that "there can be only one" Bill Gates for any given category. I don't even think he's saying that there won't be any new OS or Social Network billionaires.
I think he's drawing new types of businesses making new kinds of products for a new market vs businesses "competing in the __ space.
A good litmus test might be the words that were used early on to describe the company/product. Twitter used to be "micro-blogging" or "like SMS but everyone can see it".
MSFT may have had some early users who switched to DOS from Apple II Unix but most learned the words Operating System & DOS in the same instant. Investor's hadn't invested in an operating system company before. etc.
I think he's drawing new types of businesses making new kinds of products for a new market vs businesses "competing in the __ space.
A good litmus test might be the words that were used early on to describe the company/product. Twitter used to be "micro-blogging" or "like SMS but everyone can see it".
MSFT may have had some early users who switched to DOS from Apple II Unix but most learned the words Operating System & DOS in the same instant. Investor's hadn't invested in an operating system company before. etc.