Here’s two articles for your persual: First, this Guardian Unlimited article attacks one of those ‘well-known facts’ that Betamax failed despite being better than VHS. The title says it explicitly: Why VHS was better than Betamax. The author even manages to mention the Windows vs. Unix idea that is an offshoot of this.
Second, a New Yorker article for those who care about patents and copyright: The “Piracy Paradox” describes how a lack of copyright in fashion design had led to better business – perhaps this could apply to software design too?
Both links via things magazine. So, do you all (the readers) like when I go off the beaten path for related material like this?
I don’t usually follow your off topic links as I mostly read for dfly news (and I love how you consistently keep your posts to a few sentences tops :). However, these types of posts are still interesting as they give some perspective to the rest of your writings and they take no time to skim over.
I don’t mind these bits and pieces posted from time to time. It’s always good to get familiar with something else.