> "Only later, in the late 20th century, did computers become more compatible, as open standards for hardware interconnects, communication protocols, and file s

> "Only later, in the late 20th century, did computers become more compatible, as open standards for hardware interconnects, communication protocols, and file storage formats were adopted. And the rise of FOSS in the 1990s also did a great deal for this." The rise of the Wintel duopoly in the '80s and '90s did that; FOSS operating systems didn't have enough market share for OEMs to take notice until the early to mid-2000s. (Arguably, FOSS operating systems still haven't had an effect on the fundamentals. There is no open standard by an independent standards body for the architecture of an x86 PC/server. It's governed by Microsoft's HLK: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Hardware_Lab_Kit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Hardware_Lab_Kit )