Red Queens and Increasing Returns

• When you decided to obtain a DVD for your science fiction assignment in Module 4, where did you go to find a movie based on a Philip K. Dick book? Did you rent or purchase a DVD, or did you view it digitally on your computer using Netflix or a similar vendor of video on demand? 

It did not take me more than a moment to decide where to locate the movie for review, the Internet. Because the movies of choice were all older titles, I knew that I would be able to locate them through an Internet source. My first choice was Hulu. Believe it or not, I was not able to find any of the titles through this site. Therefore, I went to the “always”-faithful Google and typed in the Tile of the movie I wanted to see and low and behold found many sites offering the opportunity to view the movie. After searching various sites, I found the movie “Blade Runner” available for free without any subscription. 

• Is the current competition between DVDs and video on demand an example of increasing returns or Red Queens? Justify your response with sound reasoning and specific examples. 

 

This is a loaded question. The reason I state this is due to the fact that even the DVD manufacturers are getting into offering digital media through Wi-Fi on most Blu-ray players. Going back to the question, I believe that we are looking at Red Queens. While DVD and On Demand movies battle for the number one technology spot, others are falling behind.

Many manufacturers are getting into the digital media market through the addition of Wi-Fi capabilities. Additionally, computer companies, like Apple, are providing digital media players that are basically a computer hooked up to the television. At the rate these additions, modifications, enhancements, or whatever terminology an individual wishes to use occur, DVD’s will eventually go away. Dr. David Thornburg (2008c) describes this as an increase on return. This occurs when one innovation captures the imagination more than others. 

• Where do you think DVDs and video on demand are on the four criteria of McLuhan’s tetrad?

 

I think that the DVD is at a rekindle stage of McLuhan’s tetrad. In recent years, we have seen the emergence of Blu-Ray DVD’s. The format has not changed, but the quality of the video presented has changed. At one time, there was a level of increasing return that occurred between HD DVD and Blu-Ray DVD. Ultimately, Blu-Ray prevailed and is the model of choice.

On the other hand, I think that Video on Demand is going to replace DVD and therefore it is in an obsolete stage. Eventually, we will not have to purchase any videos versus going to a website or our cable provider and pulling up the movie of choice. Also, with the connections occurring via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, we will be able to tap into our computers hard drive and pull up any movie we wish to see.

Reference:

Thornburg, D. (2008c). Red Queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.
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