“Seriously, when are these companies going to learn to stop fighting the inevitable….idiots…..”

His reaction was based on this link & letter (and supporting documentation) from Intuit to Mint.com:

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And of course there’s Mint.com’s rebuff:

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My thoughts on the subject:

Mixed feelings here: I agree that for the most part “these companies” are fighting the inevitable losing battle but I don’t blame/judge them as much as I want to because it’s in their nature to play the game this way and really they’re only hurting themselves in the long run, hence the losing battle.

But really, this is all they can do!  And conversely, I don’t know what was so threatening about the letter from Intuit (sensationalist TC?), it seemed more like a call for clarity (which I see as fair practice) especially considering the astonishing growth that Mint.com is claiming.  The scare tactics, coercion, litigation, etc. are the tools at the dispense of the established and it’s within their rights to leverage them when needed (think MPAA/RIAA vs. society and how that war is turning out).

What do you expect them to do?  What would you do if you fell asleep at the wheel and woke up in the midst of these challenges? Concede defeat? They’ve spent their entire business lives in one world and that world just got turned upside down…clearly they are running scared.  They can fight to defend their status-quo and die by 1,000 cuts or they can throw in the towel and commit suicide. Just because they suck doesn’t mean they should quit; of course there is a middle ground and ways to slowly change/adapt but it’s like a tugboat vs. a jetski here.  They need to buy some time and make it inconvenient for their competition to operate even when the odds are they’ll eventually be eclipsed.

Intuit & Mint.com is a microcosm; I just don’t think our markets are mature enough to change/adapt as fast as they should be–yet.  There’s resistance and friction  because if there wasn’t the whole broken system would have already collapsed and been replaced by a more efficient one with different people and different motives in charge.  But yes, it is inevitable by now,  and indirectly, this behavior pattern  is starting to adversely affect a lot of people, which makes it hard for me not to pass judgment or pick a side just yet…

When does it end and how?