411A Pity the Europeans
I share your sentiments about the irksome, small minded Europeans ( amoung which naturally the Brits don't count themselves
) but, just this once, their retiscence to fall hook line and sinker for GPS is understandable.
Had GLONAS or Galileo been fully established before GPS I doubt the US would have adopted either of them for exactly the same reasons the Euros don't put all their huevos in the GPS basket.
However had Galileo predated GPS the great difference to the world would have been that the system would not be have been freely available to all - eurobeancounters would be counting royalties on a per reciever basis just like they collect TV license money.
Not every one is as generous as the Americans.