worse is better list:please add

unix over multics
linux over minix, bsd, plan9, beos
x86 over risc
dc over a
java over smalltalk

http and c++ are good examples, but I don't know what the alternatives were

worse is better forces (evolutionary pressures/economic constraints that lead to local maximums because they are better in the short term):
compatibility
portability
time to market
familiarity (in UI and programming languages)

>>13
RISC was designed to be written by humans. x86 was designed to be written by compilers.
Are you sure you don't have that the wrong way round.