I saw this video about the Betamax vs. VHS technological conflict. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddYZITaxlTQ
It is interesting to note that (contrary to some myths: https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-that-VHS-beat-out-Betamax-because-Betamax-refused-to-allow-pornographic-films)VHS won partly because it was an inferior product. Imagine the engineers and designers at Sony putting in extra effort to make the opening mechanism smooth, giving it a nice wooden finish. Their efforts to achieve perfection actually put them at a disadvantage. On the other hand, I am sure that JVC could have made a better product had they chose to, but I can imagine the corporate strategy meeting where they realized that this would put them at a disadvantage in the marketplace, which was the contest they were trying to win in the end.
I am also reminded that, for all of their thoroughness and attention to detail, the Japanese have a concept of 'beauty in imperfection'. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi
Do you see the connection? I think the above scenario (with the tapes) is a perfect example.
