Say buy buy to televion and dvds

All I keep thinking is "here we go again". Do you remember when you converted your album collection to compact discs? Or when you converted your VHS tapes to dvds?

How much money do consumers spent converting information from one format to another? Eight-track to cassette. Replacing a turntable with a cd player. Beta to VHS.

Now, we're seeing television ads about the conversion of television sets from analog to digital. Some consumers will buy converters, many more will buy new digital tvs.

We're also hearing about how the Blu-Ray format is going to be the standard for dvds, replacing High Definition. I was told (by an appliance salesman so my information is suspect) that my current collection of (7) dvds can't be played on a Blu-Ray machine.

I am grateful for useful technology upgrades. I hate having to haul out my typewriter! But how much waste will be generated for better image and sound quality? How much will consumers spend replacing still-function appliances, so it will be easier to interact with the kids on the latest High School Musical dvd.

If you think all technology upgrades are good for you, consider this: you were never told to Press 1 for English when you had a rotary telephone.

The planned obsolescence of analog tv and High Definition dvds makes me think that I'll be reading more books in the future.