1 I sorted of wanted both formats to fail, because of the sheer arrogance and stupidity required to launch two incompatible formats.  But at least it's settled now.

2 Nothing arrogant or stupid about incompatible formats, unless incompatibility is their only intended feature.  Its just annoying for the customers.

The *real* stupidity is trying to push a new format, with all the high expense and conversion difficulties involved, when DVD is still entirely functional.  I expect Blu-Ray will find its victory a mostly hollow one.

3

I think part of the reason folks might have a grudge against Sony is because of their history of throwing up all kinds of stupid media ideas--like the Minidisc, or the UMD, for example--and then just kind of abandoning them, leaving people with a dead technology they thought was supposed to set the world on fire.

Still, now that I've finally found the Stupid Blu-Ray Trick that makes it look like it's supposed to look, I'm happier with the format.   

Of course, in a year or two it'll be moot anyway, as everything will be downloadable in high definition with no physical medium needed other than a hard drive.  I'm guessing. 

4 Anyone noticed that ENOZ was writing their music to fan-supplied minidisks? Instead of just burning CDs? Not bad for something so presumably dead, although I'd like to know if Sony paid KyoAni.

5 The corpse of MD is apparently still propped up in Japan. Until fairly recently, there were some old portable MD players that still commanded a good price in the US, because they were terrific for bootlegging live concerts.

Naturally, I have one in my Pile of Useless Gadgets. I think it's next to one of the Newtons.

-j

6 My h8 for Sony is thanks to the Sony Online Entertainment division.  I eventually forgave them for EQ, but it will be a bitterly cold day in hell before I forgive them for what they did to Star Wars Galaxies.  I keep hoping LucasArts would yank the license (I even wrote begging them to) but there is no justice in the world.

7 I'm actually quite fond of the MiniDisc format, though my player died some years ago.  I know there are still some radio stations using them as an easily-transportable recording medium (though it's dying quickly with the advent of digital storage), along with DAT for in-house recordings.

With hard-drive costs going through the floor, and flashdrive prices doing the same, well, MD and DAT will be going away pretty soon at the professional level (if it hasn't already... it's been a few years since I last worked in the radio biz).