When Paul Graham wrote his first essays, the prevailing advice for startups was clear: don't worry about your competitors coming along and copying you. The fear of a big company, like Google, replicating your product was not considered a significant threat. There were numerous reasons why startups failed, and being copied was rarely one of them.

The first notable exception to this rule was Justin Kan’s calendar startup. It was essentially an early version of Google Calendar. Whether it was a direct copy or just a similar product that Google had already been developing before Kiko launched is debatable. Nonetheless, it marked a shift in the landscape.

For at least a decade after Graham's essays were published, this advice held strong. Startups rarely saw their products copied outright by competitors. It was a period where innovation and unique value propositions were the main focus, rather than the fear of being replicated.

While the landscape has evolved, and the threat of being copied has become more prevalent, the foundational advice from Paul Graham's early essays remains relevant. Startups should focus on creating unique and valuable products, rather than being overly concerned about potential copycats.