Chaos is the engine of evolution.
It is not the steering wheel.
To get from point a to point b
predictably, it's a good thing
to have both.
len
From: David Megginson [mailto:]
> Coteries of companies develop specifications and shop them to consortia;
> Microsoft wants the industry to adopt (and license) its Caller ID anti-
> spam specifications; open source projects are everywhere, and variously
> structured; and Bloggers are flaming each other over competing flavors
> of content syndication. Is this any way to develop standards?
It's exactly the right way to develop standards.
Obviously, there are a few counter-examples (just as there are a few lottery
winners), but in general, standards have to come from real, proven need.
The kind of chaos described in Robin's citation is a necessary first step to
any proper standardization.
