The popularity of streaming videos, movies, and television shows to computers, gaming systems, or even smart phones has grown immensely in the past few years. Instead of going to the video store, such as Blockbuster or Hollywood Video, customers no longer have to leave their home in order to rent their favorite movies. Companies such as Hulu and Netflix provide the services that allow for customers to download these movies instantly over a broadband connection to any of these devices. DVDs may very well become a thing of the past in the coming years. Twenty-three percent of consumers have televisions connected to the internet, while another twenty-six percent say they would like to be. Of these, fifty percent stream or would stream movies instantly to their television.[1] This could be a huge hit for movie studios, and this struggle has been clearly seen by Netflix.
Netflix began as a DVD by Mail Company and has since branched out into the streaming video business. Since the convenience of streaming has created so many more customers, movie studios now want a giant chunk of lost profits due to lack of DVD sales. Netflix is still a rather small company finance wise. Netflix charged users 7 dollars a month for streaming service, 7 dollars a month for DVD by mail, or 10 dollars for both. Movie studios decided to ask for millions more for the rights to stream their movies. Netflix does not have the capital to pay these increased fees. This is allowing other, larger companies in on the streaming movie business. “Amazon has 6.4 billion in the bank at the end of last quarter. Google had 39.2 billion, Microsoft had 52.8 billion and Apple a whopping 76.2 billion…Netflix had just 376 million.”[2]
As a result Netflix decided to split into two companies, one that conducted DVD by mail and the other streaming. They also decided to increase their low prices. Thousands of customers cancelled their Netflix service and stocks plummeted. I personally cancelled my service, not because of the price increase, which brought prices to ten dollars, but because the movie selection was poor. The split was recently cancelled and Netflix will continue with its hybrid DVD by mail/streaming business model. The uproar made them realize that many people still want DVDs sent to them and that they still support the company’s model. [3] Instead of paying per movie, people still enjoy the lower monthly costs that Netflix provides. We will see in a short amount of time whether or not Netflix can survive this drop in customers and what will happen in the field of streaming movies and videos if the company that started it all, goes under.
http://www.retrevo.com/content/blog/2010/07/will-streaming-movies-kill-blu-ray-discs
http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/19/technology/netflix_cash/
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/588136/201110141708/Netflix-When-A-New-Service-Idea-Goes-Bust.htm
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Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Week 5 Database Research
“A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality (for example, the availability of rooms in hotels), in a way that supports processes requiring this information”. [1] Aside of the use of the databases on Zoho, I have limited experience with database composition software, however, during my years in college I have come across several kinds of databases I have used to collect information. The one I have spent the most time using has been JSTOR.
Like the very popular EBSCO Host, JSTOR is an online database that houses journals, documents, and other primary sources that can be used in doing research and writing papers. “JSTOR connects libraries, researchers, teachers, and students around the world with vital scholarly content in more than 50 disciplines.” [2] This database makes research very simple, because you can search by topic, discipline, or keywords and find thousands of journals, articles, and other information that can help you complete your task. I have used this program dozens of times when I first earned my Bachelor's in History, since it provides many journal articles that would be almost impossible to find in a library on campus. The database saves many hours of rummaging around a library looking for dusty old documents that haven't been touched in years, and puts them on your computer within seconds.
JSTOR decided to store the work to servers that provide an online database, rather than using installed software like other research programs. “JSTOR's choices of technology have flowed directly from its mission. Because it is our goal to save money in the long-run for libraries, it is essential that the storage of the database be centralized, with distribution taking place via the Internet. Delivering the database via CD-ROM would simply add material to thousands of libraries that librarians would have to store and preserve for future patrons.” [3] Also, by having it centralized on servers, it makes it easier to add new features and information, rather than having to constantly put out new software and updates for everyone using the database.
Questions:
One of the biggest challenges that JSTOR faces is cost. There is a subscription fee to use the database, which many universities subscribe to. However, I would have never used the program if it weren't for school, so getting the database to individuals would be a bigger challenge.
It provides a competitive advantage to those using it because it now saves libraries valuable space and money, it saves users time and effort searching for these documents and journals, and it makes everything in one centralized location which can effortlessly be used to find information.
I would improve JSTOR by improving the search feature. I remember when I used it, it would be very difficult to narrow what you wanted down. You would get thousands of hits for topics, unless you specifically knew what you wanted. Possibly letting users review the information and giving a rating, then sorting by rating, could greatly improve the database.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database
[2] http://www.jstor.org/
[3] http://www.dlib.org/dlib/july97/07guthrie.html
Like the very popular EBSCO Host, JSTOR is an online database that houses journals, documents, and other primary sources that can be used in doing research and writing papers. “JSTOR connects libraries, researchers, teachers, and students around the world with vital scholarly content in more than 50 disciplines.” [2] This database makes research very simple, because you can search by topic, discipline, or keywords and find thousands of journals, articles, and other information that can help you complete your task. I have used this program dozens of times when I first earned my Bachelor's in History, since it provides many journal articles that would be almost impossible to find in a library on campus. The database saves many hours of rummaging around a library looking for dusty old documents that haven't been touched in years, and puts them on your computer within seconds.
JSTOR decided to store the work to servers that provide an online database, rather than using installed software like other research programs. “JSTOR's choices of technology have flowed directly from its mission. Because it is our goal to save money in the long-run for libraries, it is essential that the storage of the database be centralized, with distribution taking place via the Internet. Delivering the database via CD-ROM would simply add material to thousands of libraries that librarians would have to store and preserve for future patrons.” [3] Also, by having it centralized on servers, it makes it easier to add new features and information, rather than having to constantly put out new software and updates for everyone using the database.
Questions:
One of the biggest challenges that JSTOR faces is cost. There is a subscription fee to use the database, which many universities subscribe to. However, I would have never used the program if it weren't for school, so getting the database to individuals would be a bigger challenge.
It provides a competitive advantage to those using it because it now saves libraries valuable space and money, it saves users time and effort searching for these documents and journals, and it makes everything in one centralized location which can effortlessly be used to find information.
I would improve JSTOR by improving the search feature. I remember when I used it, it would be very difficult to narrow what you wanted down. You would get thousands of hits for topics, unless you specifically knew what you wanted. Possibly letting users review the information and giving a rating, then sorting by rating, could greatly improve the database.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database
[2] http://www.jstor.org/
[3] http://www.dlib.org/dlib/july97/07guthrie.html
National Geographic Research
1. How is the manipulation of Genographic Data similar to the manipulation of business data? What DBMS tools and techniques are shared by both?
By being able to manipulate data in the databases and creating things such as queries, the genographic data can be easily understood, narrowed down, and show whatever the user of the database may want it to. If you want to see where a person's ancestors have been or any trends in the DNA, it is easily narrowed down by fields or attributes in the databases. Businesses use the same manipulation of data to show trends in almost any sort of data. It could show demographics of customers, sales data, etc. It can narrow down information to a simpler and more concise way, making the data easier to understand by somebody on the outside.
2. How does National Geographics investment in this DBMS assist other researchers? How might this data be shared using the database concepts taught in this chapter?
By investing in the initial database system, National Geographic is furthering the whole field of genographics. The information collected could be used by other researchers who may want to try different things with the research and did not have the means to collect such vast quantities of data. Having such large stockpiles of data can lead to other researchers reaching different conclusions about the data, analyzing it differently, or using it for completely other means. They could use multiple user database networks to share the information with other researchers and could possibly allow them to add information to the databases.
By being able to manipulate data in the databases and creating things such as queries, the genographic data can be easily understood, narrowed down, and show whatever the user of the database may want it to. If you want to see where a person's ancestors have been or any trends in the DNA, it is easily narrowed down by fields or attributes in the databases. Businesses use the same manipulation of data to show trends in almost any sort of data. It could show demographics of customers, sales data, etc. It can narrow down information to a simpler and more concise way, making the data easier to understand by somebody on the outside.
2. How does National Geographics investment in this DBMS assist other researchers? How might this data be shared using the database concepts taught in this chapter?
By investing in the initial database system, National Geographic is furthering the whole field of genographics. The information collected could be used by other researchers who may want to try different things with the research and did not have the means to collect such vast quantities of data. Having such large stockpiles of data can lead to other researchers reaching different conclusions about the data, analyzing it differently, or using it for completely other means. They could use multiple user database networks to share the information with other researchers and could possibly allow them to add information to the databases.
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