Is high-definition video really important? Of course, it's important to the vendors of video gear. They don't want you to be satisfied with normal TV-type video.

Most people I know have watched something on Youtube, which gives lower quality than a VHS VCR tape. Everybody I know has watched and enjoyed movies on VHS video tape. VHS is much lower quality than ordinary TV; the bandwidth available to color is pretty low. Everybody I know has enjoyed Television programs. TV quality is much lower than standard DVD.

But HD video is better than a standard DVD. Is it really that great?

The only people who seem to be really excited about it are network folks and storage folks who like to use it to motivate spending on networks and storage. Oh, and the folks at Best Buy who sell display devices like it too.

I'm listening to Joe Weinman of AT&T. He's the “VP Strategic Solutions”. He's talking about HD videoconferencing.

He actually did bring up one potential use I *can* imagine: HD videoconferencing with displays in the walls. This is the same as the “Office of the Future” idea espoused in the CS department at UNC-CH.

I'd really like to be able to share a view of my desk with my co-workers or a client. It'd need to be high-def enough to he readable.

On the other hand, would it be almost as good just to share my screen?