Re: Microsoft thwarted again

On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 17:58:28 -0500, Tom Liotta <qsrvbas@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> midrange-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> 
> >   1. RE: Microsoft thwarted again (Joe Pluta)
> >
> >> >research Betamax. Windows is the VHS of operating systems.
> >>
> >> Ooooo, I love this! Perhaps what you say is true, but have you bought
> >a
> >> Betamax tape recently? You're that Betamax guy screaming from the
> >rooftops
> >> about the technical superiority of your format, not noticing that the
> >> world has decided that VHS is the way to go!
> >
> >The world only went that way because people kept lying to them, saying
> >that VHS is better.  Proof positive that a technologically inferior
> >solution can be foisted on the public by self-serving, unethical sales
> >folks.
> 
> Not sure _exactly_ how much this point matters, but (IIRC) it wasn't exactly 
> a "lie". For what the _public market_ wanted, VHS was indeed better.
> 
> Again IIRC, there was a significant dispute over Betamax licensing that 
> involved the... ummm... 'adult entertainment' industry. VHS licensing was 
> granted easily where Betamax was withheld or restricted and/or expensive for 
> this purpose. One standard took off and the other faded away. Not necessarily 
> the most publicized issue, but perhaps the most significant if it actually 
> affected the market that way.
> 
> I suspect the dramatic rise in internet popularity was partially fueled in a 
> manner similar to the popularity of VHS.
> 
> (In order to stay clearly OT) There could be warped parallels here if 
> development tools and environments are cheap and easy to obtain in one case, 
> but more expensive and harder to obtain in the other.
> 
> Tom Liotta
> 
> --
> Tom Liotta
> The PowerTech Group, Inc.
> 19426 68th Avenue South
> Kent, WA 98032
> Phone  253-872-7788 x313
> Fax    253-872-7904
> http://www.powertech.com


Let's not forget that VHS offered tapes with longer run times. 
Recording a movie on 1 tape vs. 2 for Betamax was reason enough for
most people to prefer VHS.