If this is obvious, why do we keep hearing the same stories over and over about how easy it is to succeed with software startups? The "low barrier to entry" and other stuff that's mentioned even in these comments?

Low cost of entry isn't really an advantage since everyone is experiencing it at once. Whom do you have an advantage over when we can all build the same website in the same amount of time and host it for the same amount of money?

As always, winning in this game comes down to building something unique that is also difficult for others to build, marketing, and luck. I don't think a lot people building new web apps these days understand this.

Warning: Contents of this cup are HOT!