Markup View

Author: Frodo Goofball CoTV

Dec 14th 2009 at 7:26:59 AM

Media formats:
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8-track_tape 8-Track]], whose inventor also founded Learjet, challenged [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reel-to-reel_audio_tape_recording reel - to - reel]] and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_Cassette minicassettes]] for the audio - on - the go market.  While most critics agreed 8-tracks had better sound quality, they were bulky and their market share fell to just a niche market.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videotape_format_war VHS vs. Beta]].  Today, you can still occasionally find VHS movies and players on the market.  Beta, not so much.
* After the 1.44MB floppy, numerous "superfloppy" formats came out.  Iomega's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iomega_Zip_drive Zip drive]] held the largest market share, but then rewritable CDs and portable memory sticks came out....
* [[http://www.webopedia.com/didyouknow/hardware_software/2007/dvdformatsexplained.asp DVD-R vs DVD R vs DVD-RAM]]: these formats were so similar, customers got them mixed up, so now most writers do both  R and -R.  The market is about 60% -R / -RW and 40%   R /  RW with only single digitis for -RAM.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc Bluray]] vs [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_DVD HD DVD]].  Just in the last year or so, Blueray won.
Computers:
* Apple was the solution for the novice computer hobbyist that became Mac; IBM wanted a more business - friendly version whose OS became Windows.  Ongoing, but Windows still has over 80% market share between all versions.