As is no doubt obvious, I’m skeptical of efforts to computer-ize the media room, despite what I’m sure is massive consumer interest. The biggest difficulty is what I think will be consumer resistance to importing the complexity and unreliability of Windows-based systems into what for most is a home mission-critical system – the TV and stereo. Larry Dignan makes another point: “IT giants are trying to impose their will on the digital living room. And it isn’t going to work because the industry can’t even put their vision into plain English.” That may well also be true, but I think the bigger barrier is that for most, the technology simply isn’t ready yet.
