I'm assuming this was said because people tend to be afraid of growth (eg Uber eating taxis).

But there's something to be said for being scared of companies that have already grown and are stable too. Or at least wary.

The only company that leaps to mind that acts like they are actively afraid of Microsoft is Valve. It's the only explanation for keeping the SteamOS alive I can think of (and developing it in the first place, for that matter), and the way it has neither been shut down, nor really given the push it needs to succeed. It's insurance, and as long as it's a half-viable insurance policy, it's doing its job.

Everywhere else, either Microsoft is still the underdog against some very strong incumbent or incumbents (Azure, mobile), or the competition is a decade-old corpse (Office).

So, which companies are people afraid of today then?

> Paul Graham is a tedious windbag. (Look it up.)

Well, I think this is a bit rude. I myself am not a PG fan, but let's not be mean people about it (I come here because the decency high water mark is usually higher than other forums).

Some people have a track record, and you might trust them more because of it. They might still be wrong. Don't hold people up as demigods?

I politically disagree with pg, but that man is a genius no ifs and buts.