Re: Time not cost?
I think the sunk cost was in time to train/market, not necessarily in cost of development etc. It's "competitive" so you have to beat the other person, even if they got a head start.
Boeing lost the head start, and cut corners to make up time, instead of playing the long game (Say like AMD vs Intel or Samsung/Nokia vs Apple).
Here though, it's not shareholders and factory jobs just at risk if the latest phone or processor fails to sell... it's lives.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
