Broken Tools (was Re: [prog] [C] strings bug)

[Sue Stones]

On Sun, 13 Apr 2003 11:49 am, Mary wrote:
> interoperable standards to this day. For example, in many countries you
> drive on the left, and in many others on the right, side of the road.
> Cars from the US can't be driven in Australia for this reason (the
> driver needs to sit on the right not the left).
>
> And even within a country, you need to buy car parts from your own car
> manufacturer, photographic lenses from the manufacturer of your camera,
> and so on - lock-in effect, somewhat like that exhibited with many
> software tools.

Driving on one side of the road is slightly diferent. According to what i was 
taught in history, (I don't have time to check up on this) everyone used to 
keep to the left side of the road.  But Napoleon decided that he would 
comfuse the enemy by marching on the "wrong" side of the road.  The habit 
became entrenced in Europe.  I don't know why America followed that pattern.

This is an example of people deliberatly going against standardisation for 
their own purposes.  A comon practice amonst some software companies.

sue