When Beta and VHS battled for domination, that was a big thing. The ability to record television and buy movies for home viewing was great, but not the bees knees.
Laser disc for music and video was a huge step forward. There was a group that said "what do we need that for? I just bought all my favorite movies on VHS. What do I do with my cassette tapes?"
CD's took over the music industry and DVD's took over the movie industry.
Then came digital copy. I started listening to mp3's 13 years ago. I knew then that someday, I would not have a need for a CD again and people thought I was crazy.
Then came the HD-DVD v Blue Ray battle, completely fought out before most people knew what either one was. People still resist Blue Ray because they think it is some kind of conspiracy to get people to re-buy movies they already have.
What most people don't seem to have figured out is that digital technology is different and can be "built upon". All blue ray drives / players that I know of will still play standard DVD's, so no I don't need to re-buy anything unless I want to.
3DTV should be implemented in the same manner. Work it in and don't abandon the technologies already out there. In other words, if it is an "option", it will indeed be the next big thing. As a paradigm shift, it will fail.
We all need to get used to the idea that things take time to happen and that we can transition from one thing to another without the sky falling and everybody complaining about the "setbacks". We have become spoiled somehow with the belief that everything must happen instantaneously and work perfectly every time without any effort.
These are all just stepping stones to no end. Mere things that come and go and we make too much of a big deal about them. I will enjoy sharing pictures, conversation, music and movies with my family regardless of the media or format. I know which part is more important.
3DTV will be the next big thing until the next big thing. Nothing to lose sleep over either way.
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