Red Queens and Increasing Returns

When deciding to obtain a DVD for my science fiction assignment in Module 4, I checked with our local movie rental stores only to find that the one copy of the movie was rented out. I found that amazing and slightly hard to believe. I had not seen this movie before but I Googled it and found it interesting. Therefore, on a hunt to locate this movie, I found it offered on Netflix.

Thornburg (2008) describes increasing returns as two innovations that hit the market at about the same time but by chance, one technology stays locked in and drives the other to extinction. When we look at the competition between DVD’s and video on demand, we will see that this is an example of increasing returns. Before there were video on demands, there were DVD’s. The two of these entities gained popularity at two different times. While DVD’s only required minimum gadgets, such as a DVD player and a television or a computer, video on demand requires much more.

Such sites as Netflix and other sites require a high speed Internet connection as well as a computer thus making the idea of video on demand more challenging and less desirable. With this notion in mind, video on demand such as Netflix began to become more marketable. They started offering viewings of their movies on the Internet as well as the option to mail DVD’s to the house for a fee. In addition, despite the late charges that can occur at a movie rental place, such video on demand sites like Netflix, allows its users to keep their DVD’s as long as they would like with no fee.

DVD’s and video on demand adds entertainment and selection to the video viewing experience. It offers an alternative to going to the movies. Therefore, when we look at McLuhan’s tetrad, it would fall under the enhancement sector. DVD’s and video on demand allows viewers to watch movies at their own pace and as many times as they want.

Reference:
Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Emerging and future technology. Baltimore: Author.

Thornburg, D. (2008c). Red Queens, butterflies, and strange attractors: Imperfect lenses into emergent technologies. Lake Barrington, IL: Thornburg Center for Space Exploration.

The Disruptive Power of Second Life

We are living in a world where technology is ruling every aspect of our being. From the advancement in transportation to the advancements in the way we communicate, technology is growing more and more smart, advance, and complex making our life simpler and intricate. When it comes to the idea of if Second Life’s power being a disruptive technology, it depends on the way a person looks at it. Are we considering Second life power disruptive because of way it demands attention and wipes out its current competition or do we consider it to be disruptive on the bases of the skills and attention the new technology demands?

Second life technology replaced many things. From the way we communicate to the way we learn, second life has made life and living simpler. There is no need to communicate face to face with others. Second life has made it possible to communicate with advanced cell phones, video chatting such as Skyping, etc. In addition, trips to the library are not in high demand. E-readers and Nooks have been created to enhance learning and reading in the palm of an individuals hand.

Technology is changing rapidly. It seems as if as the days past, technology becomes wiser and more advance thus replacing its existing competition. Therefore, it is my belief that it will not take years for Second Life to show it other face.

Second Life has forded many opportunities in the education realm. Online classes have taken flight. Classrooms are becoming more and more technological savvy by blogging, podcasting, etc. Many schools are reconstructing their curriculums to cater to the demand of technologies many changes. Therefore, preparing students for a 21st century world should be the vision and goal for every school.