the problem with writing about 'the purpose of a system is what it does' is that it makes you realise that the purpose of open protocols is to have protocol wars, people fucking love to argue about their protocol as a teamsport
yup. also oddly it's often users more than developers? the more deeply someone has worked with any given protocol, and especially if they've worked with more than one, the less dogmatic or religious they seem to be. (usually.)