It feels like big tech companies enforce a vicious cycle on the software landscape.

Step 0: Someone has a good idea and builds a solid product around it.

Step 1: BigCo sees the new growth budding out of the software landscape.

Step 2a: BigCo buys the new property, refuses to take risks with their new acquisition, and eventually shutters it when it stops printing money.

Step 2b: BigCo sues the new entrant into the ground.

Step 2c: BigCo launches a competitor/fork, gains market share by operating it at a loss, then shutters it when it fails to turn a profit.

Step 3: Innovation is stifled, start over.