Akimbo: A Podcast from Seth Godin Adversarial interoperability
Aug 26, 2020
The podcast discusses the concept of interoperability and its importance in various industries. Cooperative interoperability and the significance of standards are explored, with examples like the standardization of gasoline and the format rules of JPEG files. The hosts also address the issue of data manipulation and the value of human creativity and innovation. The concept of cheating in different contexts and the future of AI as an extension of human augmentation are also discussed.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Interoperability Is The Invisible Chain
- Interoperability is the invisible chain that connects products and systems so disparate creators can collaborate without direct communication.
- This shared compatibility enables resilience, scale, and cultural continuity across technologies and goods.
Standards Multiply Product Value
- Cooperative interoperability arises when makers adopt shared standards because it improves their own products' usefulness.
- Longstanding voluntary standards (like JPEG or USB) let unrelated creators build compatible goods that benefit everyone.
Headphone Jack As A Breaking Point
- Seth uses Apple's removal of the headphone jack as a concrete example of breaking cooperative interoperability for control and profit.
- He contrasts this with locksmiths and USB cards to show how breaking standards raises costs and reduces choice.