Red Queens & Increasing Returns

Blog 5

For my science fiction assignment, I viewed the movie “Minority Report.” I was able to rent this movie on DVD through my Netflix service. I would prefer to watch movies digitally because I am able to watch instantly instead of waiting for the DVD in the mail. This movie wasn’t available for instant access through Netflix so I resulted to having it mailed to me instead. I do believe that DVD’s and video-on-demand are examples of Red Queens. DVD’s and digital access seems to be the only two formats of watching movies. Other options of watching movies are all non-existing. Dr. Thornburg (2009) explains that red queens have huge competitions between technologies; in the process, all other competitors are left behind. For example, a VHS tape is no longer in competition with DVD’s and digital videos. They have been left behind and will no longer be in the running. As I go into video stores, I no longer see VHS tapes for sale. I also think that VCR’s, the machine that plays VHS tapes, are no longer available through retail stores.

Although I believe that digital movies are rising above DVD’s, I don’t think that DVD’s will become extinct by digital video access. These two competitors are two very great options and very great alternatives to each other. This is why I believe Netflix offers both options. They understand that people enjoy popping in a DVD just as much as they can watch instantly through their computer devices. If I had to choose, I believe that digital video access will eventually extinct DVD’S but no time in the near future. One main reason why people are still watching movies through DVD is because new releases and other high demand movies are not available on digital access keeping them in the race. Once digital access offer new releases or just all movies, they will eventually have an increasing return on DVD’s. When placing these two options on the McLuhan’s tetrad, I believe that DVD’S are a retrieval of the VHS and video-on-demand is in the enhancement criteria.

 

Thornburg, D. (2009). Emerging and future technology. Baltimore, MD: Author. Laureate Education, Inc