Frankly, when compared to Intel, Reddit surely looks like something that was just "cobbled together". Intel has hundreds of physics, chemistry, engineering PhD's building circuits with billions of transistors with dimensions one order of magnitude smaller than the wavelenght of visible light. And these circuits are built in billion-dollar factories. And the competitors can't catch up because they don't know how Intel does its magic.
By contrast, Reddit looks like something that was built in a couple of days by two bored college students. I like Reddit, but let's face it, they're not pushing technology anywhere. They don't have to deal with quantum effects, current leakage, and that kind of stuff. They just run a few servers, and they don't have a business plan that can compare to Intel's. So, what exact point are you trying to make?
Frankly, when compared to Intel, Reddit surely looks like something that
was just "cobbled together".
Like any other large company, Intel regularly buys some of these, so called 'cobbled together' startups. Those startups have business plans of their own and technology of their own, but no interest in taking on Intel, Motorola or any of the other giants. That's a valid business proposition and not a sign of weakness.
They don't have to deal with quantum effects, current leakage, and that
kind of stuff.
You're either romanticizing hardware or you're underestimating software. I'm an experimental physicist: I fully empathize with your respect for the engineering problems a company like Intel deals with. However: software startups mostly aren't solving engineering problems. That's not their goal. It's like criticizing the Los Angeles Lakers for not winning the Super Bowl.
are often not it's just too easy to disregard the problems each distinct piece of software faces.
Both google and oracle have shown much more vision, as well as ability to generate revenue, than reddit. So it's not fair to replace with them. They're not equal.
To a large extent that depends on your definition of empire. If an 'empire' is defined as a multi-billion dollar company then I agree with you, if it is anything over 10 million then there must be 10's of thousands of them.
I'm pretty sure my own company does not qualify as an 'empire' by any standard, but it keeps me free, off the streets and pays the bills, I couldn't wish for more. I wouldn't exchange it for a boring job in investment banking for whatever compensation you put on the table, there's more to life than money, as I've found out the hard way.
I am not after financial independence the easy way. I could never work for an investment bank. It's boring. And even if you're paid $200K a year at a bank, you're still a pawn. Nothing more than a mere cog in a big machine, unable to decide your own future. I don't advocate that. I am only stating that there are tradeoffs. You can trade money for freedom. You can trade excitement for safety. You can be a sheep and be bored, you can be a wolf and be lonely.
In any case, there's nothing particularly noble about empire per se. Sure, it pleases the ego. But there's always a bigger empire. And empires require HR departments and middle managers and other such distasteful things. You don't need to be the captain of an aircraft carrier. It's also fun to run a pirate ship.
By contrast, Reddit looks like something that was built in a couple of days by two bored college students. I like Reddit, but let's face it, they're not pushing technology anywhere. They don't have to deal with quantum effects, current leakage, and that kind of stuff. They just run a few servers, and they don't have a business plan that can compare to Intel's. So, what exact point are you trying to make?