Why not OSI?

This paper first argues that the current TCP/IP standard for Internet communications is technically inferior to the parallel OSI standard. The historical record is then analysed to identify both the actors that were involved with the adoption of the standard and the process of adoption that occurred. This is not an attempt to create a new history of TCP/ IP, as several robust histories exist. The aim of the paper is to examine the adoption of TCP/IP over a superior technology as an example of an adoption story where the nature of the technology does not explain the adoption. In this way we place the adoption of TCP/IP as being similar to the stark example of VHS tape winning over the superior BETAMAX standard. The paper then asks the reader to consider the example of IPV6 as another possible adoption where technical considerations may not determine the future.