I heard recently that most VHS tapes will be unwatchable in the next 10-15 years. The technology that dominated home entertainment from the 1970's through the early part of this century and changed the way we consume TV and movies just wasn't designed to last. Which makes sense in a way-- VHS was the threshold of on demand viewing... if you can watch something anytime, availability stops being an issue.
This point was driven home to me the other day when, in a moment of down time, students watched the beginning of the movie National Treasure. Although at first they resisted a bit, when the bell rang 40 minutes into the film a collective groan filled the room. "What was the name of that again?" several students asked, interested in viewing the end.
One kid was particularly interested, and worried that he wouldn't be able to find and watch the end.
"I have a copy right here," I offered, raising a DVD. "Would you like to borrow it?"
"Oh," he shook his head in disappointment, "I don't know how to use a DVD player."
This point was driven home to me the other day when, in a moment of down time, students watched the beginning of the movie National Treasure. Although at first they resisted a bit, when the bell rang 40 minutes into the film a collective groan filled the room. "What was the name of that again?" several students asked, interested in viewing the end.
One kid was particularly interested, and worried that he wouldn't be able to find and watch the end.
"I have a copy right here," I offered, raising a DVD. "Would you like to borrow it?"
"Oh," he shook his head in disappointment, "I don't know how to use a DVD player."
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