#Help on CD Interactive
2 messages in this thread
Dave:
Thanks for stopping in at the CDROM Forum!
>>I can see people saying "what's the point", "solution in search of a
problem" etc.<<
These are precisely the words being applied to CD-I. I fear that Philips
and devotees like yourself miss the point about Photo-CD. It does
something that I and 50 million other people understand: it shows my
pictures. And I can (ultimately( record sound and other material, too.
CD-I may be "multimedia" but I don't know what a "multimedia" is, and I'm
not sure how it will improve my life. I've got tv for that. Interactive?
I've got Nintendo for that. At least if I understand the product, like
Photo-CD, I'm more likely to buy it. The sales pitch I've heard from CD-I
salesmen shows that they recognize the likely greater appeal of Phto-CD,
and hit hard on the fact that CD-I will play a Photo-CD. Kodak may be
Philips' saving grace.
** continued in replay **
** continued **
I have no bitterness toward CD-I- that would be ridiculous: it's just a
product. I do, however, resent the tactics and attitudes of Philips in
terms of the way they've handled CD-I. They want people to believe that no
other format is interactive! Baloney, every non-music-only CD format is by
definition interactive! They want people to think they do interactivity
best. Baloney! This is a design function, dependent on the creativity of
the developers. There are good products on CD-I, and there are dogs, just
like any other platform. There is a list of incidents and policies I could
point to that feeds resentment about the way Philips has tried to position
their business. They can do what they want, but they should not be
surprised when thay are called on it!
>>CD-ROM and computer-based products are cheaper to make, but aim at a
smaller market. << You have GOT to be kidding! Cheaper to make may or may
not be true, depending on the production. But smaller market!? The total
CD-I sales doesn't come up to a good weekend of sales of clones.
I hope everyone comes out a winner, but you have to face reality. I fear
that many who have invested heavily in CD-I to the exclusion of other
possibilities, may be whistling past the graveyard!
Take care! Rich Bowers