Personal computers were a tiny market. Languages for them was a need, but it was only a tiny gap. Some guy named Bill Gates wrote a BASIC interpreter that was small enough to fit on one. It was a tiny niche... but it kind of grew.
Paul Graham points out that some niches are "the Microsoft Basic" of something much bigger. And, of course, some niches aren't. But if you're looking at is as "what thing that's bigger can this be the doorway to", you're more likely to find something that's more than just that little niche.
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Personal computers were a tiny market. Languages for them was a need, but it was only a tiny gap. Some guy named Bill Gates wrote a BASIC interpreter that was small enough to fit on one. It was a tiny niche... but it kind of grew.
Paul Graham points out that some niches are "the Microsoft Basic" of something much bigger. And, of course, some niches aren't. But if you're looking at is as "what thing that's bigger can this be the doorway to", you're more likely to find something that's more than just that little niche.