Technology Flops
I'm fairly certain it is impossible to actually feel sorry for a format, but it is the closest I can come to describe how I feel about the fate of the HD DVD standard; after its incredibly short life span it has been axed having been conquered by the technologically advanced BluRay. To relieve the suffering I have decided to take look back at past technologies that were so revolutionary in theory, but in reality they failed to live up to expectations:
Microsoft Bob - I have only used Microsoft Bob once in my life before immediately deleting it from the PC it came bundled with way back in 1995; by my estimation this would have made me thirteen. Bob was an application which sat on top of your existing Windows installation and was designed for making simple tasks such as deleting a file or writing a letter easier for the non technical user. Unfortunately I don't think it really appealed to any particular demographic hence disappointing sales figures and the application was scrapped before Windows 98 was released.
The cartoony visuals and persistent stream of sounds imply it was intended for children, but this is inconsistent as the majority of children are familiar with how to use a PC. Similarly, a regular user that wasn't technically experienced would still find the application condescending - nobody needs a elephant telling them how to write a letter to their bank manager. By eliminating these two audiences we are left with a group of of possibly simple people who both don't know how to use a computer but are willing to take tutorials from a series of irritating cartoon characters. These animations were unrelenting, infuriating and don't allow the user to do anything without their direction.
Minidisc - Whilst it couldn't really be considered a total flop, the Minidisc standard which was introduced by Sony in 1992 never really gave the Compact Disc a real run for its money. I think the reason for this is that for most users the format didn't really offer any real advantages, and compared to the rapidly decreasing cost of CD-R discs it represented a sizable investment. Even to this day I can't see any reason why the Minidisc standard was created in the first place and certainly how it managed to achieve the sales it did.
DAT - The DAT (Digital Audio Tape) was created by Sony as a replacement for the old analogue cassette during the 1980's. As a result of worries within the industry regarding how easily users home make illegal copies using a DAT, coupled with the comparitivly quick user adoption of the newly released CD standard, this format had a rather short life outside of the professional recording studio scene.
Betamax ' The majority of my reader will be familiar with this saga so I won't go into too much detail. Even though Betamax was strictly superior to the VHS tape, it was a victim of one of the first format conflicts. Betamax was launched in 1975 and is another failed Sony format - I'm certain they'll be reassured by the fact BluRay format they so copiously promoted has come out victorious this time round.
Smart appliances - How would you fancy a fridge that monitors its contents and then takes it upon itself to order more milk off the Internet when you're running low? These kinds of appliances create a real buzz at the trade shows, but in reality I'd genuinely take myself out in to the 'big blue room' by walking twenty metres to the garage down the road.
More than anything I'd be worried that I'd chuck something out that I didn't like and then in a panic it would assume that I'd eaten it and order me more whilst I was down the pub.
About the Author
Chris Holgate writes a weekly article of all things tech related. He is a director and copyrighter of the online computer consumables business Refresh Cartridges http://www.refreshcartridges.co.uk An archive of the articles can be found at http://www.computerarticles.co.uk .
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