> Indie rock artists who are just playing in bars to their friends don't have that economic pressure, and you're always welcome to build your own software for your friends along with maybe a few hardcore enthusiasts.

I don't think it's as simple as "indie artists" and "artists with investors". There's room for innovation while making profit, and there's room to make catchy songs when you're an indie artist. In software, there seems to be a large divide between hobbyist code and industrial software. How many folks really write software for themselves and friends? I'd love to see a world where people grow up tinkering with software, so they can have an informed stake as a user instead of being a blind consumer.