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opens wikipedia (Emphasis mine:)

> Moats were excavated around castles and other fortifications as part of the defensive system as an obstacle immediately outside the walls.

Unfortunate wording?

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Moats are supposed to be obstacles for your competitors, not your consumers.

It's akin to building a moat inside the castle.

That's called a Lazy River.

Moats are obstacles against something you're trying to avoid. It can be competitors coming in, or customers going out. A moat could surround a prison to keep prisoners in. Some companies just choose to treat their customers as prisoners.

The usual metaphor for keeping customers is a walled garden, right? I think it's useful to distinguish them by default.

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