MS sets standards (as if)

[John Angelico]

On Mon, 03 Apr 2000 19:31:15 +0100 (BST), Simon Bowring wrote:

In support of Simon...

>>English is the language of the Internet not simply because the 
>>Americans invented the Internet and there are more American users 
>>than any other nationality, but because it is by far the most popular 
>>second language. 
>>
>>Word is the most commonly used format for the exchange of business 
>>documents not because anybody has said it is a standard but because 
>>Windows is the dominant operating system and most people have got 
>>Word. 
>>
>>Outlook Express is the most widely used mail client and while it has yet 
>>to achieve the dominance of Word it is well on the way to becoming a 
>>de facto standard. 
>>
>>It is argued that unless "standards" are enforced (by whom?) then the 
>>Internet will turn into the Tower of Babel. No chance. English is the 
>>"standard" language of the Internet because more people can 
>>understand it than any other language. 
>>
>>Like it or not Windows and Windows applications are becoming 
>>"standards" for the same reason. 
>
But in English, one is not penalised for failing to use American spelling (or British spelling etc) by a failure to 
communicate. Usually one can adapt and interpret so communication is still successful.

Whereas, by being a non-MS user, I am penalised by MS users who send me files in a format which I can't read. It's 
equivalent to sending me a letter in an inner envelope which I can't open, because it was sealed with some super-gum 
in an indestructable cover which only fellow-MS users can open. Meanwhile it PURPORTS to be open and universally 
accessible. 

The Internet already has standards for electronic envelopes and transmissions (as do the postal services of the UPU). 
Making something extra creates a barrier and reduces my freedom of choice - it attempts to FORCE me to use something 
I might not otherwise use.

We have not reached the level of language yet, because we have not touched on the substantive content of the 
transmission. We are still talking about the form of the transmission. Of course, if the sender writes in French 
(using MS Word), and I can't speak/read French, we don't communicate. But I would never know THAT fact until I was 
able to overcome the other barriers. 

Questions of dominance then take a back seat to more fundamental questions of freedom of choice, honesty/truth in 
operations and does communication happen? 




Best regards
John Angelico
OS/2 SIG
talldad@melbpc.org.au or talldad@kepl.com.au
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