Yes probably herd is the more correct term. I am sure there are benefits to porsches but I don't know of many companies for whom that is their fleet car. companies are run by people with all their flawed decision making and influence from personal spheres. My point is that people do things sometimes only for the experience or for a change. There really is no excuse or does there need to be. In other words I both agree and disagree that there are problems in decision making - yes there is but it's rampant among people.
I don't know of what compatibility you speak of as a reason to introduce a new item into the mix? As i said it was a step back for usability and speed of getting things done. The reason it was introduced has very little to do with reasoning. Much like the choice of car I drive. If everything were the product of reason the world would be a boring place indeed.
The iPhone and iPad satisfy my right brain to a high degree, but for the left brain they leave much to be desired. People always think with two heads (not just guys). It plays over and over that you know there is something you should do but it conflicts with something you want to do. Which ensues in much hilarity in life.
When it comes to electronics and cars, I research and look for functionality and reliability, so I can't relate to your approach. I want stuff to work as I need it, with minimal effort and cost. (For me wasting time is a cost, so I factor that in.) I think a lot of people are similar, which is why boring Hondas and Toyotas are popular, for instance. Sure, there are some impractical people, but most people aren't willing to put up with inconveniences with daily tools, especially a biz-centric tool like a Blackberry. A four-day outage of service is plenty of reason for unhappy users; no need to wildly guess at herd appeal.
With other stuff -- clothes, shoes, etc., -- I can see being impractical and whimsical. A pair of shoes or a purse that's not practical, no biggie, because I don't wear the impractical stuff day in, day out.
The compatibility I mentioned: I don't know your company; some companies go with what works best for clients' tools, for example.
I've been lucky to work for good companies; for the most part, my company makes good decisions, which is why our profits have continued to rise during these bad years. If I thought leadership were bad, I'd look elsewhere to work.
