Ever wonder what others think about dead formats?

Bob Russell · 05-23-2006, 07:00 PM

Momus at Wired writes about what it feels like to see the parade of dead formats...

"Suddenly, my whole life replays before my eyes as a succession of transient formats. My teens were spent in the age of Betamax video, games consoles with no carts, Pong burnt in ROM, audio delivered on vinyl, cassette tape and 8-track. In my 20s those formats were replaced by exciting new ones: VHS, laser disks, CDs, snap-in console carts, games on floppy disk that you slotted into your 'multimedia personal computer,' pale faxes. And each time the new thing came along, the old thing became a sideshow, a curiosity ... and, eventually, inaccessible, along with all the memories encoded on it."

Oh so true!

Jorgen · 05-24-2006, 01:26 AM

One day I will put my eReader ebooks in there.

tribble · 05-24-2006, 02:53 AM

But the content wont get lost. Someone is always carrying it over to the net generation of devices. Think about it. Even pong made it to the modern computerworld. So i would say, grieve for the old laserdisk player, but enjoy the same movies on HDTV-DVD

Only downside is, that you have to buy them again. (Could DRM help us with that???)

Jorgen · 05-24-2006, 07:24 AM

DRM has so far always meant that you had to buy the contents again. And DRM generally means that you have very little or no choice as to the next device.

tribble · 05-24-2006, 08:05 AM

i know, but wouldnt it be nice if we could use DRM for good rather than for evil? I know, i am a dreamer.

05-23-2006, 07:00 PM	#1
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Ever wonder what others think about dead formats? Momus at Wired writes about what it feels like to see the parade of dead formats... "Suddenly, my whole life replays before my eyes as a succession of transient formats. My teens were spent in the age of Betamax video, games consoles with no carts, Pong burnt in ROM, audio delivered on vinyl, cassette tape and 8-track. In my 20s those formats were replaced by exciting new ones: VHS, laser disks, CDs, snap-in console carts, games on floppy disk that you slotted into your 'multimedia personal computer,' pale faxes. And each time the new thing came along, the old thing became a sideshow, a curiosity ... and, eventually, inaccessible, along with all the memories encoded on it." Oh so true!

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05-24-2006, 01:26 AM	#2
Jorgen Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 84 Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Spain Device: Sony prs-650, iPod, BEBOOK Mini, Nokia n810, iPaq	One day I will put my eReader ebooks in there.

05-24-2006, 02:53 AM	#3
tribble iLiad Maniac Posts: 1,382 Karma: 2369 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany Device: Bookeen Opus (i love that thing) and iPad (what an irony)	But the content wont get lost. Someone is always carrying it over to the net generation of devices. Think about it. Even pong made it to the modern computerworld. So i would say, grieve for the old laserdisk player, but enjoy the same movies on HDTV-DVD Only downside is, that you have to buy them again. (Could DRM help us with that???)

05-24-2006, 07:24 AM	#4
Jorgen Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 84 Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Spain Device: Sony prs-650, iPod, BEBOOK Mini, Nokia n810, iPaq	DRM has so far always meant that you had to buy the contents again. And DRM generally means that you have very little or no choice as to the next device.

05-24-2006, 08:05 AM	#5
tribble iLiad Maniac Posts: 1,382 Karma: 2369 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany Device: Bookeen Opus (i love that thing) and iPad (what an irony)	i know, but wouldnt it be nice if we could use DRM for good rather than for evil? I know, i am a dreamer.

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