The Devil's Sliderule

[MrBogey]

I got the headline from an article a while back written about the US-Soviet Cold War where great news for the US would be buttressed with negative news. For instance, hundreds of thousands would flee Soviet territory and the media would report that then follow up with how hundreds or thousands regretted their decision or would emigrate back.

In effect you had overwhelmingly positive news offset by minor negative news.

We've been seeing that for months now. Blu-ray would get Blockbuster and Target announcing exclusive deals... and people would gnash teeth over them not being totally exclusive deals. Conversely moderate bad news like Blu-ray's 3rd or 4th largest studio defecting would be labeled the worst possible thing while Blu-ray still outselling HD DVD would be labeled a minor footnote.

We've all seen it. Now that we have HD DVDs most prolific and successful studio dropping support we'll see people downplaying this and instead pointing to the growing userbase of HD DVD. Make no bones about it. This move has neutralized HD DVD. HD DVD is Stillson and has no future unless some massively brilliant move occurs on their part.

And I don't see that happening. But expect the Devil's sliderule to still be in effect and any "positive" HD DVD news should still be weighed with all due weight and none more.

At least that's my opinion.

Comments? Thoughts?