Now I don't want to get off on a rant here

I originally wrote the following in an email this morning but in thinking about it, I decided it might be worthy of a bigger audience (you know, the 3 of you that read me, rather than just the one person in the email thread.) It has been modified a bit to fit a larger context.

One of the things that really bothers me is when things become de-facto standards, even though they really might not be the best option for everyone. When choices are minimized and options ignored, people are making their decisions blind.

For example, WordPress has become the standard blogging platform even though there exist other very worthy options like Serendipity, Injader, Drupal, etc.. Could these have better served some folks? Probably. Did they consider them? Probably not.

Ask people about web based small business Contact Management and everyone is quick to talk about Highrise, which is indeed a fine product. Is it the best choice for everyone? Could something like BatchBook be a better option?

I think this same sort of thing can apply to music as well. Folks gravitate to "greatest hits" packages full of popular singles and radio fodder. Is Stairway to Heaven really the best Led Zeppelin tune? It's believed to be true, and so it perpetuates - at the expense of Tea For One or Nobody's Fault But Mine. Great songs that people don't hear because certainly Presence isn't as good as IV because, well, because the masses have decided that it isn't.

It's a challenge sometimes to fight this flow but I think it's worth it - and I try to do what I can to support those folks who take on that challenge. I try to do dilligent testing of solutions before I use them personally, and before I recommend them to my clients. I try to dig deep and offer some alternatives when I do get around to writing a BYOBO piece.

Presenting options and challenging the status quo is a goal of mine. I urge people to dare to be different, dare to go against the grain, and not just for the sake of doing it, but rather to make intelligent and informed choices. It's to your benefit to do so.

SB