HD DVD/Blu-Ray Corporate Battle

For those who are unaware, Sonys Blu-Ray disc and Toshibas HD DVD are currently in a large corporate battle over which of their proposed mediums will be the successor to the aging DVD, with numerous corporate interests ignoring the big picture in an effort to pick the right side on which to be. The bottom line is that in this type of heated dispute, everyone loses in the end. Two separate and incompatible formats is little more than a repeat of the VHS vs. Betamax battle from the mid 1980's; should both companies continue with their plans to release their respective formats in the early part of 2006. The purpose of this petition is to help convince both consortiums to work together, rather than risk a loss to the other and prevent consumers from suffering in the long run.

Without getting into specifics, both the Blu-Ray and the HD DVD are solid formats, with advantages and shortcomings to both. However, it is the belief of the petitioner that the greatest advantage to the consumer electronics market would be for these two rival formats to be redesigned in a unified effort into a single, universal format. While it would delay the release of a successor, it would mean a universal success; the companies involved would have a universal format with which to work, and therefore, would not have to side against one another, and the consumers would be free to purchase digital media without concerning themselves about whether their media players will play said media or not. In short, a collaboration between these two interests can only result in a mutual victory.

Each signer, by signing this petition, agrees with the views stated above, and may opt to boycott any Blu-Ray or HD DVD technology should they be released separately.