Thursday November 1, 2001
The Guardian

Costly choice
The assumption that rich media portals will be the key driver for broadband take-up (Online, October 25) demonstrates a naive belief in the inevitability of convergence.

Just as toasters and kettles have not combined into integrated breakfast-making machines, televisions and computers remain separate. The PC is primarily a tool for creating and editing content. Although a broadband-enabled PC is capable of receiving rich media content, most users prefer to watch movies on a conventional television. Rich media works best when it is short, simple and places low demands on both end user and content provider.

The real impetus for broadband take-up is not top-down delivery from media monoliths, but the benefits gained by the home user in having a fast and stable information conduit. Broadband-enabled users cite rapid access to conventional websites, reliability of connection, and fast software downloads as principle benefits of switching. Furthermore, as the furore over Napster and the popularity of Morpheus, Gnutella et al has demonstrated, peer-to-peer file distribution systems are beating the media giants at their own game.

Jonathan Kay

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