Many fine comments already. I think much of it boils down to the same thing that happens everywhere else. People forget the “spirit” (the point) of a thing, and focus solely on the “letter” of the thing. They lose sight of the why, the problem that’s actually being solved, etc. Software companies, especially VC backed, are caught up in growing revenue (or similar) toward an exit, which is essentially never the spirit/point of anything non-parasitic. Trello is a fine example; after the acquisition they were run by people completely incapable of recognizing bad ideas and “good but wrong ideas” because they were not at all aligned to the “spirit” of Trello. Happens with governments, entertainment, religions, products, pretty much anything where people who don’t understand and get on board with the “why” start mucking about.
