Sour DOW/NASDAQ to kill digital future?

My local high-end dealer thinks that his store's sales should be used as a leading indicator. The store experiences slow down in sales months before anyone realizes there's an economic slowdown. This year, the owner told me that sales came to an abrupt halt in August, 2000.

It might force prices of both hardware and software down, but I do not believe it will hurt the future or development of either format.

avnut: it's not polite to YELL. i don't think any predictions can be made at this point about the effect of an economic downturn on new digital formats. i doubt that venture capital funds are being looked to by the producers of sacd hardware and software. i should think that most capital costs have already been sunk. what's needed now is a marketing rampup, tied to the introduction of cheaper machines and lots more software. the real problem may be reduction of consumer confidence, which will slow the sales of all electronic products. still, that trend may have the perverse effect of pushing the marketing of new digital formats, since the sony's of the world have to sell something really "new" or face the "why replace it now?" syndrome that's being felt, in spades, by computer makers. 'course this is all pure speculation. guess that's why they call economics "the dismal science." -kelly

The current market selloff will probably slow new developments down but will not kill them. Wiped out portfolios will cause new purchases to be postponed. The good news is that a few interest rate cuts along with lower taxes add up to real economic stimulus. Things should start looking better around 3rd quarter. Hopefully nobody will do something stupid like pulling the pin on a nuke.

After reading a couple more reviews of the DVD-A products, it might be enough for them to quit the format while there behind. SACD has some very powerful financing and a huge need for it to succeed for Sony and Co. I think the Markets have less to do with the economy than ever in the past. All we are seeing now is companies that had no chance of ever turning a profit finally falling off the board. The real strength of our nation and other economic powers have not changed much, we just lost focus for a while as the young hot shots on Wall Street learn how the world really works. Sure some slowdown is going to happen, it's about two years late, but this industry has lived through much worse, and will become one of the leaders out of any slow down, just like before.
As an Architect my industry has always been ahead of the economy by 9-12 months. Building is as strong as ever, and the marketplace can not find the employees it needs to fill the demand, this has created double digit inflation over the past two years in building. I predict we will finally slow to a seasonal downturn this fall, but I'd be very suprised if it was too big. The inflated pricing we have had for the last years will get into the market with this downturn in other economic areas, and the potential for rising costs, in my opinion is greater than the potential for recession. Well that's my economic update, stay tuned for other opinions I have no business discussing! J.D.