WHY 1/16 SCALE

[Tanxalot]

I think it's similar to the VHS/Betamax story one manufacturer thinks his is best and does that

Betamax died because the porn industry went with VHS (it was easier/cheaper to get a VHS camcorder). 

I think different manufactures try different scales so that they won't be accused of copying.

It was a sneaky way around import restrictions. JVC collaborated with Ferguson (EMI) and set up a manufacturing plant in the Uk under the brand name Ferguson and as a result Betamax (which WAS a better system by far) struggled to catch up with imports and slowly died a death. Only recently have the TV industry moved away from a system based on the betamax format in their production facilities, thats how good it was. Sorry off-topic, slapped hands.

[Ex_Pat_Tanker]

Usually most of these things start out with the purchasing guy asking the designer "how small (read 'cheap!') can you make this widget before you can't shoe-horn the gizmo into it anymore?" (this is pretty much how Tri-ang ended up at 1/76)

As a side note, does anybody else think its funny how much influence the porn industry has over things - whether its the VHS vs Betamax thing, driving the demand for broadband internet for downloading / streaming movies or now the Blu-ray vs HD issue...?