Brandwidth
Came across this interesting essay. I can imagine lots of people are going to get pretty defensive about it, but whether you disagree or agree with his earlier points they're really a setup for his main points... this "XML, DRM & Open Standards" stuff, like:
There has long been this idea in the industry that using a proprietary format gives you an advantage because you have a captive audience. If they sign up they are stuck with you for ever. But the truth is that a proprietary system goes against the current trends in the industry. If you support open standards your market is everyone, anyone can switch to your product with zero downtime. Buy supporting open standards you also convey a sense that you are able to better connect and interface with multiple organizations, users, and platforms. This is why XML has been such an important technology in recent history.
Posted by drunkenbatmanDecember 12, 2003, at 01:44 AM
I ought to revise a few bits. I have changed my mind on a few points, and a few of the analogies haven't sat well with a few people. But Thanks for the link.