Red Queens and Increasing Returns

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?  The DVD that I used for my Science Fiction Assignment was Total Recall.  I enjoy collecting movies, so I had previously purchased a copy of the movie to add to my movie collection.   

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?

Yes, video-on-demand is a great example of Red Queen.  According to Dr. Thornburg (2009), Red Queens occurs when there is huge competition between two or more technologies that hit the market at the same time, and by chance one of those technologies gets locked in and drives the other technology device to extinction.  Video-on-demand hit the market, and it has driven Blockbuster and other DVD/video companies out of business.  Consumers can conveniently rent and watch movies within the comfort of their home by accessing Netflix. Hulu, and their satellite company. 

Where do you think DVDs and video-on-demand are on the four criteria of McLuhan’s tetrad?

I do believe that eventually DVDs will be obsolete, and video-on-demand will be the choice consumers will choose to watch movies.  We live in a digital world, and all our needs will be met using technology devices.

Resource

Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Increasing returns and red queens. Baltimore, MD: Author.

I posted to the following classmates blogs:  Kristy Burroughs @ http://kburrough2012.blogspot.com/2013/02/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html?showComment=1360468855681#c2942346712621875809, and Charee Hampton @ http://champton1019.blogspot.com/2013/02/red-queens-and-increasing-returns.html?showComment=1360469507557#c716315537491993320.