The Counterfactual That Makes It Matter
If VLC were launched today by a venture-backed startup, the outcome is predictable. A free tier. A premium tier. “Recommended content.” Usage analytics “to improve experience.” A monthly subscription just to pause a video.
VLC chose none of that.
Not because it was naïve—but because it valued being boring, dependable, and user-respecting over being maximally profitable.
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