

Chopping the Long Tail down to size - chmike
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/11/07/long_tail_debunked/page2.html

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chmike
Looking at the lognormal curves shown here <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Log-
normal_distribution> I see tails. Don't you ? And this tail can be long.

The real question is whether it is possible to build a viable business by
exploiting the tail. From what I understood this depends on two things: 1° on
the benefit you can make by exploiting the tail, 2° on securing it against the
businesses exploiting the belly of the curve.

What Will Page tells us is that the tail is a starving zone. Since he works
for the belly business he simply tells us that the second rule applies.
Whether the first rule apply depends on the costs and benefits which may vary
greatly with the business model considered.

Once again the Register demonstrates a lack of common sense.

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chmike
Reply article [http://gigaom.com/2008/11/11/once-again-the-long-tail-
refuse...](http://gigaom.com/2008/11/11/once-again-the-long-tail-refuses-to-
be-buried/)

