I retrieved the DVD
from my closet for the science fiction assignment in Module 4. The movie,
Minority Report, was based on a Philip K. Dick book. I did not have to rent nor
download the movie because I received the DVD as a gift several years ago. The
current competition between DVDs and video-on-demand is an example of increasing returns. According to Dr. Thornburg, in order for a
technology to be a Red Queen, it should be an emerging technology. I believe
that video-on-demand is an emerging technology that is slowly phasing out DVDs.
DVDs would be an example of increasing returns because the entertainment
industry has acted differently to offer the showings of movies. Movies are more
accessible down because of movies on demand, downloading, etc. Consumers now have
the option of downloading movies from the computer rather than leaving their
homes in order to rent a movie. I believe that DVDs are in the retrieval area
of the McLuhan’s tetrad because DVDs obsoleted VHS tapes. I believe in a few
years, DVDs will move to the obsolescence area of the tetrad in a few years. Video-on-demand
has enhanced movie viewing and movie retrieval. Video-on-demand movie releases
come faster than DVDs and are more profitable for movie companies (Lawler,
2010).
Reference
Lawler, R. (2010). Studios
giving up on dvd, pushing vod instead. Retrieved from http://gigaom.com/2010/08/20/studios-giving-up-on-dvd-pushing-vod-instead/
Thornburg, D. (2008c). Red Queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect
lenses into emergent technologies. Lake Barrington, IL:
Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.
