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Responsible Journalism
by brian @ 12:43:53 - [perma-link]According to this article, Disney is trying to launch a new DVD-like format with crippled disks
that "self-destruct" after 48 hours. Instead of paying $10-20 on a DVD
you can watch over and over, or $3.50 for a 5-day DVD rental, you can
pay $7 and have a shiny Disney drink coaster after a couple of days.
But the really shocking thing about the article is that it doesn't even
MENTION the failed Div-X format. Back when DVDs first came out,
Circuit City teamed up with some of the studios to develop a competing
disc format. It was the same size as a DVD, but included software
protection so it would stop playing after a few days. After that
period, you (or your babysitter, or whoever) could put it back into
your special Div-X player (which could also play real DVDs) which would
call the Div-X service and "buy" it again. After getting a lot of
media attention (mainly negative) it was an enormous failure.
It is completely irresponsible not mention Div-X as precedence in an
article about how EZ-D is destined to fail. DivX failed because people
did not want to buy temporary media. Its as simple as that. EZ-D is
just rehashing the same idea, but with perhaps "better" technology
(better for the studios, not the consumer). Journalism like this only
serves to drag out that failure.
Ugh. I need more coffee. |
