This talk explains why technical standards almost always come from open, community-run projects. Companies may release early tools that gain attention, but broad adoption depends on trust, shared ownership, and stable governance. When two open-source projects compete in the same space, the one with a transparent process and a diverse contributor base tends to win. It moves faster, survives leadership changes, and reflects real user needs rather than a single vendor’s roadmap.

We look at patterns from past ecosystems. Projects that rely on one sponsor often stall when priorities shift. Projects that invite many contributors build deeper support. Users adopt them because they want control and long-term safety. Vendors adopt them because they reduce risk and integrate cleanly with other tools. Over time, this aligns everyone around the same project. That project becomes the default, not because it had the best start, but because it created the broadest seat at the table.