While I agree with you that competition is crucial, and without experimentation we will get nowhere, it is worth remembering that IE6 and all of its specific behaviors "won" through "raw competition".
Often things win not through fair competition. For example, WebSQL "won" on mobile because WebKit won on mobile, and WebKit happened to have WebSQL. If WebKit had had, say, the Audio Data API (which it did not), then the Audio Data API would have "won". Neither of those APIs won or would have won on its own merits, but because it was backed by the 800 pound gorilla in the space. (I chose Audio Data as an example because it is not in the same space as WebSQL, i.e. not competing with it, and was a nice API, that failed).
And the problem is that PNaCl will fragment the web, and already has. That's a serious problem - for everyone but Google.
> it is worth remembering that IE6 and all of its specific behaviors "won" through "raw competition".
It is worth noting that the findings in the antitrust actions in the US over Microsoft's illegal and anti-competitive behavior in establishing IE's dominance indicate that that claim is, at best, misleading.
I would argue the opposite, in fact - that it shows what happens with pure unrestrained competition. Which leads to monopolies and other forms of competition suppression, ironically, of course.
Regardless, we don't need to agree on that point. There are plenty of other examples in tech (and outside) of things winning through "raw competition" that are just not that good.
Often things win not through fair competition. For example, WebSQL "won" on mobile because WebKit won on mobile, and WebKit happened to have WebSQL. If WebKit had had, say, the Audio Data API (which it did not), then the Audio Data API would have "won". Neither of those APIs won or would have won on its own merits, but because it was backed by the 800 pound gorilla in the space. (I chose Audio Data as an example because it is not in the same space as WebSQL, i.e. not competing with it, and was a nice API, that failed).
And the problem is that PNaCl will fragment the web, and already has. That's a serious problem - for everyone but Google.