Well for starters the UKs had a 'Standard Gauge' act since the 1840s, with only the Great Western any different. And even that was changed over 1892 (Overnight. As in literally one nights work! Amazing what you can do with no H&S to slow you down). So actually all UK railtracks are the same gauge and have been for over a centuty. (The things you learn playing Railtoad Tycoon hey.
)
The US didn't pioneer standard gauge, the NE US used standard (copied off the Brits I might add
) and the rest used random sizes, anywhere between 4ft and 6ft in fact. This was a problem when railroads started to meet up, so eventually late 1880s they went for standard gauge for all US rail, spending the next few years doing all the conversions. So in fact US rails have been standardised, again for about a century.
This doesn't bode well for you arguments Puke, if I'm honest.
Especially as computer hardware has standards, rock solid ones. You can buy any hardware from any company and it will work in your machine as long as both are on the same standard. How many other industries can say that?
Software is shakier, mainly as MS changes standards to make them more propietry. Internet Explorer is not standard compliant off the top of my head.
Finally I think Sir Tim Berners-Lee and CERN would have something to say about inventing the internet as we know it. Quite alot actually.