Journal Files A.A.S
QWERTY: Was it really true?
Some dispute the QWERTY story and argue that it was the best keyboard. Maybe we lucked out and QWERTY was best. No one disputes that at the time there was no compeition where consumers tried and choose what was best. The story of path dependence still is valid. If someone did invent an improved keyboard and its was agreed by everyone that it was better, QWERTY would probably still persist without some collective action.
Some dispute the VHS and BETA format story and argue that the consumers choose VSH in good market fashion because it was best. The point ignored is that a lot of people choose BETA when the prices and availability were equal. But The people who preferred BETA had ctheir choice eliminated when VHS got on the path of econ. of scale and greater availability. This is a downward spiral for those who thought BETA was better. IF there were not path dependence then the two products could have existed along side each other and consumer could indeed have what they wanted -- instead of only the dominant choice.
So the QWERTY and VHS story is still valid even if its critics are right in the details of which one is preferred by the majority.
The critics of path dependence want us to see the issue as government choice vs the people. But it is really people vs people with different preferences and sometimes people against themselves. Even with similar preferences an individual can't get what she wants acting alone
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If you have any questions or comments, please email schmid@pilot.msu.edu
