Original question:
Why would anyone need to compete with Bitcoin on it's own chain if their coin is better?
you can't seize control when there's no one in control to seize it from. The miners and node operators are ultimately responsible for securing the network.
You're deliberately conflating control of the network with control of the code base, to derail discussion of this aspect of reality you dislike.
I'm not the one conflating things.
Unfortunately for you, here's the evidence of your shit talking.
I ask a question about in-chain protocol competition.
You go on to answer (in bold also) a completely different question, because you couldn't come up with a lie that could be related to the question I asked. So quit pretending you've got me on the defensive, you're the one manipulating and lying
Selective quoting aside, I did just say that the only option for people wishing to modify the code, is to release their own clients. How is this not clear? It's precisely because the Core developers are in control of their own repository and decide which code will and won't be included, that means people who wish to publish their own code, because they have different ideas which Core developers may not agree with, have literally no other choice than to release a competing protocol. If they can't work together because they disagree, they have to compete. Do you agree they are free to do that? Yes or no.