DVDs will be obsolete in 10 years: Bill Gates

AFP ^

[YoungHickey]

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FRANKFURT (AFP) - DVDs will be obsolete in 10 years at
the latest, Microsoft boss and founder Bill Gates
(news - web sites) predicted.

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Asked what home entertainment would like in the future,
Gates said that DVD technology would be "obsolete in
10 years at the latest. If you consider that
nowadays we have to carry around film and music on
little silver discs and stick them in the computer,
it's ridiculous," Gates said in comments reproduced
in German in the mass-circulation daily Bild.

"These things can scratch or simply get lost."

Gates' vision of television of the future was: "TV that
will simply show what we want to see, when we want
to see it. When we get home, the home computer will
know who we are from our voice or our face. It will
know what we want to watch, our favourite
programmes, or what the kids shouldn't be allowed to
see."

[YoungHickey]

Telescreen much?

[Dog Gone]

How is it going to know what I want to watch when even I don't know?

[Hatteras]

Hah! Yeah, that's what they said about my 8-Track player. Fools...

[steplock]

It is called the " .NET "

Get used to the idea - the technology has been here for years - we just have to get the mind-set to accept it.

All those sci-fi movies and stories of walking in and talking to your house, lights on, messages, grocery lists, fluid walls and decor , and much more ---- it is ALL the ".NET"

[js1138]

So why do all my best diagnostic programs still boot from floppies?

[we_will_prevail]

I knew it -- 8-tracks are poised for a come back! Glad I saved 'em!!! (/sarcasm)

[discostu]

The guy that thought 640K would be plenty now thinks something is going to be obsolete? Hey Bill, what about Bob?

[King David]

This is right about the same time that I will be able to teleport myself to and from work, my hover-craft will fold up into a brief case and all my food will be in the form of a capsule.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Well, there is still something to be said for ownership of physical media - especially if some future government decides to ban certain productions. It would be too easy to turn off the feeds if the only sources are four or five big media companies.

DVD's might become obsolete but local storage of media probably won't.

[Rebelbase]

This comes from a guy whose home has ever changing digital artwork hanging on plasma screens throughout his house.

Maybe in Bill Gates life and a few of the elites amoung us, but not for the masses.

[spoiler2]

It will offer you a variety of items recalled from your complete entertainment history, a compilation of every item you have ever chosen, since you were born.

You DO know that BIG Brother IS watching, don't you?

[Mr. Bird]

the biggest obstacle to implementation, as you indicate, is cultural resistance. And that is a formidable obstacle. Try making a business office paperless and watch the panic set in.

[OneTimeLurker]

LOL. Just like my beta-max!

[JRandomFreeper]

I know which way to bet, now. I don't think much of Bill Gates' software company or it's products, but I have to respect his marketing ability. I'm just glad he didn't decide to market suppositories. ;>)

/john

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

"TV that will simply show what we want to see, when we want to see it. When we get home, the home computer will know who we are from our voice or our face. It will know what we want to watch, our favourite programmes, or what the kids shouldn't be allowed to see."

I guess that means ABC, CBS, and NBC will become anthropological exhibits at The Smithsonian. :) Hee, hee

[Hatteras]

"How is it going to know what I want to watch when even I don't know?"

It's just going to jump back and forth during commercials. From "Trading Spaces" to "Monster Garage" to "Overhauled" to "American Chopper" to "In-A-Fix" (my new favorite) to "While You Were Out" to "Landscaper's Challenge" to "Monster House" to....

[gdani]

TV that will simply show what we want to see, when we want to see it.

Ah, yes. Video On Demand.

Since I have yet to buy a DVD player, I'm anxiously awaiting this technology to be introduced. The technology basically already exists - it just needs to be implemented.

However, I fear that it will take years to iron out all of the licensing, etc. among all of the entertainment companies.

[Michael Barnes]

Hey Bill, what about Bob?

oooooh...That ones gonna leave a mark..

[Paleo Conservative]

But when will Bill Gates be obsolete?

[danneskjold]

In-A-Fix Rocks...