What was the appeal of Laser Disc?

[tron3]

This is one technology I could never figure out. Just as with DVD after it, you could not record with this unit. Sure, it was better quality than VHS, but exactly what was the appeal?

Here was a technology in which, for all intents and purposes, was little more than an LP size CD. Plus you had to flip the disc to finish the movie! That is like flipping a record to finish hearing your favorite song. I hear you had to be extremely careful with the darned things too.

I am not trying to beat a dead horse, I merely trying to understand who spent that kind of money on a player with such bothersome quirks? It was like having the best and worst of both worlds.