[LINK] The PLAN, and broadband speeds?

[Craig Sanders]

On Fri, Jun 22, 2007 at 10:21:05AM +1000, Karl Auer wrote:
> On Fri, 2007-06-22 at 07:01 +1000, Craig Sanders wrote:
> > also, is it likely that you'll have both HDTV usage *AND* HD
> > videoconferencing at the same end node? i would have thought that
> > videoconferencing would be more likely at an office (where watching
> > TV isn't all that common), and TV would be more likely at home (where
> > videoconferencing isn't all that common). i.e. typically, it would be
> > one or the other, not both.
> 
> People thought the same about telephones and computers.
> 
> With high bandwidth and simple videoconferencing (and the latter will as
> night follows day result from the former), rest assured that
> videoconferencing will be happening in every home. For that matter, who
> knows when business might find a use for HDTV, given the right bandwidth
> at the right price?

personally, i think that while videophones might sound cool in science
fiction, hardly anyone actually wants them - especially at home.

who really wants to have to get dressed or tidy themselves up or brush their
hair just to answer the phone?   or try to make themselves look sick rather
than hung-over (or dressed for the beach) when calling in a sickie?  

or, for that matter, who wants their boss/bank/insurance company/local
shop/etc,etc,etc getting a peek inside their home just because they
phone?

the reason why we don't all have videophones now is not because of
a lack of technology (or even bandwidth), it's because of a lack of
demand.

videophones are a solution looking for a problem.  in the home, anyway.
they're obviously useful in some office-work contexts.

craig

-- 
craig sanders <cas at taz.net.au>