About Me

Hi and welcome to my blog!
My name is Debbie Morris.
I am currently a Career Technology Coordinator
at our local high school. I am a Walden University
student. This blog was created as part of my
coursework for Walden University. I hope you
enjoy my blog!







Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Module 5 Red Queens

Module 5
Blog post
DVD for Science Fiction Assignment

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?
I selected the movie “Minority Report” for my science fiction assignment.  I was familiar with the movie and knew that my daughter- in- law had the movie as part of her movie collection.  She and her mother collect movies of all sorts. They have three hundred movies. I could have chosen Netflix.  I am familiar with it, however; I have never used it.  I usually rent my movies from the Video store or the Red Box.  We have a Red Box stationed at many of our local stores. It looks very similar to a coke box.  I actually call it the “coke box”.  You place your debit card in the machine and rent a movie for $1.00.  Rental stores and the Red Box are very convenient for my lifestyle.

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.
Thornburg (2008c) describes Red Queens as taking place when two competing technologies work very hard to increase their market share. I believe the competition between DVD rentals, video-on-demand, and Red Box is an example of Red Queens.  They are all in competition with one another for the market’s attention and investment. Video-on-demand offers a quick access to movies anytime.  I feel video stores are feeling a lot of pain because of their competitors.  Many rental stores have closed in our area.  Today, our society welcomes easy access at low cost.  Therefore, Netflix is appealing to most people.

Where do you think DVDs and video-on-demand are on the four criteria of McLuhan’s tetrad?
I believe video rental will soon be obsolete.  I feel that video-on-demand fits into the category of reverses because it gives the consumer a cost efficient way to access the latest movies right from their home.  I caught a glimpse of a commercial recently that showed individuals having access to movies on the go through the use of their laptop and I believe Netflix.  Having to drive into town to purchase your rental movie will become obsolete. In Chris Anderson’s video, Wired on tech’s long tail, he stresses the fact that timing and the public’s appetite are factors that drive acceptance. With the economy struggles we currently face, consumers are cutting back in as many areas as possible. The timing for video-on-demand and Red Boxes couldn’t be better, as they have come out during a time of economic hardship.  

References:

Anderson, C. (2004). Chris Anderson of Wired on tech’s long tail [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/chris_anderson_of_wired_on_tech_s_long_tail.html

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


1 comment:

  1. I do believe that video rental will one day be a thing of the past. However, I do not see that happening in the next few years. Though I believe video rental may be on the way out, I do not feel DVDs themselves will become obsolete quite as quick. I think about us as teachers. We use videos so much in our class. If some of the hundred sites that my school has blocked would become available we wouldn't have as much of a need for the DVDs. Nice job Debra. BV

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