Original artwork, not a still
xkcd #927, "Standards" (2011)
Situation: there are 14 competing standards.
— xkcd • 2005
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
It is the tech industry's most repeated warning in one sentence: the attempt to unify everything usually adds one more option. Engineers post it under every new framework, file format or charger proposal, and "there are now 15 standards" is the standard reply to any plan to replace them all.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for xkcdShow the scene
This is the final text panel of xkcd #927, "Standards", by Randall Munroe, published on 20 July 2011 under the heading "How Standards Proliferate". It sets up a situation: there are 14 competing standards (the header lists AC chargers, character encodings and instant messaging as examples). One geek is appalled and proposes one universal standard to cover everyone's use cases; a fellow geek cheers. A caption then says soon there will be 15 competing standards. The hover text adds that the charging one has now been solved since everyone has standardised on mini-USB, or is it micro-USB.
Sources (2)
- xkcd JSON feed, comic 927transcript and alt fields; 2011-07-20Reference checked
- explain xkcd, 927: StandardsExplanation sectionReference checked
Context reviewed
