Network Effect
- “what is a network effect”
- “metcalfes law explained”
- “network effect examples”
- “is metcalfes law wrong”
01 · Side by side
Side by side
Comparison sheet
| Aspect | Network effect | Economic moat |
|---|---|---|
| Is a | Mechanism | Category |
| Requires users | Yes | No |
| Count | One of five | Five types |
| Named | 1908 / 1993 | 1990s |
| Types | One | Five |
| Can be built alone | Rarely | Sometimes |
02 · Which one you meant
Which one did you mean?
In shortReaders who land here meaning Network Effect rather than Economic moat are usually searching for phrases like “what is a network effect”, “metcalfes law explained”, “network effect examples”.
Economic Moat
- “what is an economic moat”
- “types of economic moat”
- “buffett moat quote”
- “how to build a moat”
03 · Which came first
Which came first
In shortNetwork effect. 1908 — Theodore Vail, the first post-patent president of a telephone company, argues the case in the annual report while advocating for a telephone monopoly.
- 1908
Network Effect. Theodore Vail, the first post-patent president of a telephone company, argues the case in the annual report while advocating for a telephone monopoly.
- 1986–2016
Economic Moat. The term recurs across three decades of Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letters — used more than twenty times.
04 · Read either one