Well folks, the DVD format wars are over--Blu-Ray won--and you may have noticed your life is not significantly different in any way. Sure, some of you might have some expensive HD DVD coasters, but chances are if you're old enough to remember something called BetaMax you probably knew better than to shell out for a dedicated machine.
Why is this interesting? Because it may serve as a reminder that sometimes people who aren't even on the design brief have a say. Consumers, the actual end-users, held little sway in this battle; companies other than those originating the competing technologies had a big say. Best Buy and Netflix helped pick out a coffin for HD DVD, while giant Wal-Mart nailed it shut, lowered it into the hole and threw dirt on it.
Kinda reminds us of how California is just one of fifty American states, but with its tough emissions laws, world-famous car culture and economic might--it is the sixth largest economy in the world--that 163,000-square-mile boomerang can influence auto design from Tokyo to Turin, not to mention Detroit.
We guess the big difference here is that cars are not going away anytime soon--it can be argued there are real wars going on right now to hold onto oil, for Pete's sake--but DVDs?
Uh--anyone remember these?
Stay tuned for our post on the venerable cassette tape.
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