Posted by: Anonymous Coward
on October 27, 2006 05:11 AM
In an ideal world technical bodies would unite and happily write the ideal standard, perfect _and_ totally compatible with everyone and his dog.
In this Earth we live on, a standard is a political statement. It arises from annoying differences and as a way to counter someone who has gained too much control. Read Mr. Wheeler's "Why Openoffice won..." to understand this and other nuances.
It's naïve (naive) to think you gonna have success based only on technical merit. Hundreds of excellent products died because the major player wanted so.
In fact, at times, products are aimed at annihilating entire markets, as we've seen earlier in the browser wars, when Netscape 4 was made extinct.
I know you said "purely" in a way to mean there are more valid reasons; I contend there is not and we should be very wary that Politics is _the_ main reason to have a standard.
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Politics are a central issue!
Posted by: Anonymous Coward on October 27, 2006 05:11 AMIn this Earth we live on, a standard is a political statement. It arises from annoying differences and as a way to counter someone who has gained too much control. Read Mr. Wheeler's "Why Openoffice won..." to understand this and other nuances.
It's naïve (naive) to think you gonna have success based only on technical merit. Hundreds of excellent products died because the major player wanted so.
In fact, at times, products are aimed at annihilating entire markets, as we've seen earlier in the browser wars, when Netscape 4 was made extinct.
I know you said "purely" in a way to mean there are more valid reasons; I contend there is not and we should be very wary that Politics is _the_ main reason to have a standard.
Or prepare to lose again.
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