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Technology Stocks : Disk Drive Sector Discussion Forum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Yogi - Paul who wrote (6394)	5/20/1999 2:27:00 PM
From: Robert Douglas	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9256

OT Next internet companies. Coal and electric utilities. No kidding. Well sort of anyway. forbes.com Statistics from article: In 1998 8% of all electricity consumption was internet use. This is up from zero just five years ago. A billion PCs on the Web means electric demand equal to total U.S. output today. -Robert

To: Yogi - Paul who wrote (6394)	5/20/1999 2:57:00 PM
From: La Traguhs	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9256

Very thoughtful comments Paul. Good argument on several points, but your comments about content hit the problem squarely. While at the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) convention to see, among other things, the presence of Quantum, HDTV (high definition TV) was again the key technology being hyped. Many there were stating that DVR (digital video recorders - the things that will consume our beloved HDDs) will be tied to consumer acceptance of HDTV and HDTV is tied directly to content. Folks there were trying to figure out what they could show consumers that would drive them to want to see it in definitions higher than what they "enjoy" now. No straight answers here. Responses ranged from auto racing to movies, but I didn't hear anyone mention that HDTV broadcasts of the Teletubbies would enhance the viewing experience for my two year old grandson. Content will be a complex issue. Regards, LT

To: Yogi - Paul who wrote (6394)	5/20/1999 3:48:00 PM
From: Z Analyzer	Respond to of 9256

<<In order for the digital VCR to be a mass market success, there has to be some content available of interest. Network Television? Declining viewership. Sporting events? Already well covered by pay-per-view (satellite). A bathroom break doesn't seem, to me, to be a good enough reason to own one of these.>> I believe that you are dramatically understating the usefulness of the digital VCR. It holds promise of time shifting the entire viewing experience and enabling easy viewing of programs you would ordinarily never see unless you are one of the very few who use VCRs for recording. Personally, my viewing would be dramatically different utilizing the capabilities of one of these devices. What would I pay if all of the time I spent watching TV could be better spent watching programming that I found more desirable? Plenty. Beyond that, I agree with you that the digital VCR will not be used for archival purposes in the home until drive capacities increase considerably. And I share your concern with the reliability of miniature disk drives in the automobile or small consumer appliances. I guess differences in opinion are what make it a horse race. -Z