When we were given the assignment in Module 4, I went to my own video collection first. Surprisingly I had all three videos; therefore I purchased them sometime down the road. For years I have purchased and collected DVD movies, but with the advances of technology, consumers do not have to buy or rent movies from your local Wal-Mart or video store. Internet access has provided a means for viewing or downloading the movie of your choice. Downloaded movies can be burned to a disk to view on a DVD player or simply viewed via computer media software.
Much like DVD’s did to the Laser Disk, the internet will soon follow McLuhan’s tetrad model and obsolete the need for DVD’s. Video on demand enhances the need for access. Instead of getting up and taking a trip to the video store, one could access thousands of movies without leaving the comforts of their homes. Streaming video will eventually cripple the DVD market, making the concept of purchasing DVD’s obsolete. Today both technologies are still trying to stay a step ahead of the other; therefore classifying them as Red Queens. Once society had the ability to download or stream movies via the Internet, technology was advancing in another arena. Televisions are becoming slimmer and the picture quality is increasing. HD video quality sparked the concept of Blue Ray technology, which assisted in keeping DVD’s from being left behind. So with the concept of the Red Queen, you start to see two technologies shooting up and everything else falling aside (Thornburg, 2008). Some markets today have the ability to stream HD quality video via the Internet, but until it becomes wide spread, DVD’s will still have somewhat of an advantage over video streaming.
References
Thornburg, D. (2008). Red Queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.
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You mention the advanced home theater systems we have now. I wonder if this will eventually impact the act of going to the movies. Could there be a time when we do not have to go the movies to catch a new flick? Instead, we download from the internet and enjoy the comforts of home and cheap snacks.
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Andree
ReplyDeleteYou are definitely right about streaming video on line..since I began using unitedstreaming about 12 years ago I rarely take a trip to the media center for video for class. It is just easier to stream them expecially now that I have a smartboard in my classroom...
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ReplyDeleteAndree, I still like to go to Wal-Mart and Best Buy to purchase my DVDs. I have not develop the skills to download movies as of yet. I understand that you think the Red Queen is in effect. However, from reading Arthur, (1996) he says that increasing returns generates not equilibrium but instability. If a product or a company or a technology--one of many competing in the market--get ahead by chance or a clever strategy, increasing returns can magnify this advantage, and the product or company or technology can go on to lock in the market (p. 1). I think in the future most people, even me, will be downloading our movie and Netflix and other online movies providers will lock in the market. I may be misunderstanding the difference between Red Queens and Increasing Returns. I understood Red Queens to mean that there are two competing technology battling for market share and each are trying to stay ahead of the other and one of the competing technology fall behind. DVDs are competing with many online movies company.
ReplyDeleteThe cost of buying a blu-ray disc player is one of the factors that helps to keep VOD ahead of DVD's. I also think that VOD vs. DVD is an example of red queens.
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