Posted by Karyudo on 04/09/06 23:02

On Sun, 9 Apr 2006 13:20:14 -0400, "~P~" <bmxtrix2005@cox.net> wrote:

>Very good points - but what does that have to do with Blu-ray or this topic?

Not much -- except for the fact that asj is touting Blu-Ray as having
so much consumer CHOICE. The exact quote -- about Java extras on
Blu-Ray -- was: "these features provide more CHOICE to the consumer."

All I'm pointing out is that these Java thingies are all just fluff,
and are meant to distract the consumer from the fact that with the
introduction of both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, consumers now have far LESS
CHOICE than they have ever had before, when it comes to things that
matter, like being able to make backups, play the disc anywhere you
want on any equipment you want, and to sell the disc to someone else
any time you want. All of those rights are being eroded or eliminated,
and we're supposed to be thrilled about all this wonderful
Java-enabled CHOICE?

As it turns out, all of the "personal problems" I've mentioned are
hypothetical. I don't have an HDTV, let alone one I bought within the
past two years. I'm still patiently waiting until everything shakes
out a bit and the prices drop further. But the fact is that I COULD
have bought an expensive TV in the past couple of years, and be
screwed when I went to play a new disc on it. I think it's appalling
that that's even a possibility.

I have no current plans to buy either an HD-DVD or Blu-Ray player any
time soon. I sincerely hope both fail miserably, actually. I read
articles comparing this upcoming format war to the VHS vs. Beta war,
but it could actually be more like DAT vs. DCC vs. D-VHS vs.
Super-VHS. Did (m)any of you own any of those formats? I didn't.

I would really love to see all these arrogant corporations -- who did
a good job in bringing out only one DVD format, and who have made a
zillion dollars because of it -- get pummelled in the marketplace by
consumers who don't want the hassle of supporting the losing side in a
stupid format war again. Both sides in this war had a chance to make
some concessions and bring out just one format, but no: they're now
going to fight it out in the marketplace. About half the people who
buy players right away are going to be screwed when their format dies.
If enough people decide they're unwilling to buy either format, then
ALL the people who do buy players are going to be screwed.

Between that and all the unnecessarily-impenetrable DRM crap, I don't
see much incentive for early-adopters to adopt either HD format early.

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