Convergence Overview - 13 : Paradigm Shift
We've discussed the paradigm shift associated with convergence quite a bit in this lesson. A paradigm shift is a change in the way that people think about how things are done, and these shifts are very common when major technological advancements take place. Paradigm shifts can present problems, because people are often resistant to change.
Today, email comes from the computer, faxes come from the fax machine, and voice communication comes from the phone. The idea that all these forms of communication can come from one device, the computer, is exciting to vendors and many customers, but it very scary to others. Convergence is a fairly new concept, and new things are received very differently by different people. Some people still refuse to use microwave ovens, or fly on airplanes, because they may be resistant to new ideas, or may be just a little afraid.
A paradigm shift that you might be familiar with today involves movies. When it comes to watching movies at home, should you get a VHS tape player or a DVD player? The DVD has a better picture, but many people already own a VHS - and a lot of tapes. Even though DVD quality is better, many people are comfortable with VHS and feel it's good enough.
So what will make us change? Well, in the case of DVDs, it will probably be when they become as plentiful and affordable as VHS tapes. The point here is that new ways of doing things often start slowly, but once they get moving, it is hard to stop them.
Convergence will happen. Right now, it's like a train working its way up hill, slowly getting more and more users on board - and once the train goes over the top of the hill, there will be no stopping it, because EVERYONE WILL BE ON BOARD.