old lough wrote:Shift Happens ... vinyl, cassette, disc, download ... Betamax, VHS, DVD, download ... B/W TV, Colour, Flat screen, Curved screen ... typewriter, word processor, computer, tablet ... telephone box, home phone, mobile ... card punch, SI/EMIT card contact, EMIT touchfree ... SIAC ... ...
But none of your examples restricted the use of the newer product until it had total uptake:
Your new colour TV didn't only show B/W programmes until everyone else had colour.
You could use your new Tablet the day you got it, you didn't have to wait for PC's to die.
Telephone boxes, home phones and mobiles all co-existed together with none being hamstrung until the others catch up.
Just imagine if when mobile phones were launched they said that you had to stand next to a telephone box to use it. Or when smart phones were launched, that you couldn't surf the web or check emails until all mobile phones had that capability.
etc. etc.
Which is my whole point, you have to allow gradual evolution, unless early adopters are rewarded there is no reason for them to take the risk. (as an aside, this is one of the reasons by Betamax lost out to VHS, it wasn't VHS was a better technology, it just had more films to watch from early on).