On 04/04/17 07:19, Michael J. Mahon wrote:
> Charlie Gibbs  wrote:
>> On 2017-04-03, Michael J  Mahon  wrote:
>>
>>> Standards can be either _de jure_ or _ad hoc_, based on market dominance.
>>
>> The terms I've heard are _de jure_ vs. _de facto_.
>
> Me, too--my mistake.
>
>>> Networking is a kind of special case, since its essential value is in
>>> direct (or even quadratic) proportion to its interoperability.
>>>
>>> Sometimes by virtue of utility or priority a particular technology achieves
>>> market dominance and resultant _ad hoc_ standardization--the "waterhole
>>> effect".
>>>
>>> In other cases, multiple comparable competing technologies battle to a
>>> stalemate or continuing fragmentation. In such cases, a _de jure_ selection
>>> can provide real value to providers and consumers alike.
>>
>> Otherwise, we have to wait for several years until one standard finally
>> wins out, e.g. VHS over Beta.
>
> Yes, and the longer it takes, the more the loss/inconvenience for users who
> had to make a choice and guessed wrong...

Contrariwise the massive issues caused by imposing the wrong standard..


> When progress causes standards in a market to change often, the costs also
> soar. (It'll be a long time before I transition all my DVDs.  I may wind up
> skipping Blu-Ray entirely.  ;-)
>


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the right place whilst your head is in the clouds and your hand is in
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