Coding with LLMs (Claude Code, OpenAI Codex) is often presented as the ‘killer app’ for Generative AI. But looking at data, it seems the one piece of the puzzle missing is actual cost. …
Late to streaming? Netflix was the first big time streaming service that I ever heard of. The main reason their streaming service was able to take off like it did is that nobody else of significance thought that streaming was worth pursuing. What other companies were offering streaming services at anything approaching scale before Netflix?
YouTube and Hulu were basically all starting about the same time. But RealPlayer was the first big one.
Netflix just had the layout that everyone uses now. The Cable networks had streaming services, just not on demand. YouTube and Hulu also pioneered the on demand layout. YouTube focused on personal experiences so maybe that’s why you’re forgetting them
YouTube started in 2005, but was not really a “streaming service”, it hosted random internet posted videos. The concept of engaging with the big content rights holders wasn’t remotely in sight back then.
Hulu came out a year after Netflix started streaming, by about a year. Hulu was inspired by Netflix’s move to have actual traditional media content as a streaming service instead of ad-hoc video uploads like youtube.
RealPlayer offered technology for websites to provide videos, they themselves I don’t recall being a streaming platform in and of itself.
Whatever one may say about Netflix, they were right there in the beginning with streaming traditional, professional media content. Yes, video playback over the internet wasn’t new, but that’s a technical detail that enables, but is not the core of the “streaming service” business model.
late to streaming, but practically the first subscription based system to watch movies/tv online.
First years of Netflix were the best, the product began degrading quite early on. but that was mostly companies realizing that instead of licensing their content on Netflix, they can make their own platforms.
I think people forget that there is also the problem of being “too early” where people or the technology isn’t ready yet. Netflix timed their entry perfectly.
There are so many defunct websites or businesses that no one has ever heard of that were precursors to modern day services we view as conveniences.
Netflix was also late to streaming because their mail service subscriptions were THE major player
Late to streaming? Netflix was the first big time streaming service that I ever heard of. The main reason their streaming service was able to take off like it did is that nobody else of significance thought that streaming was worth pursuing. What other companies were offering streaming services at anything approaching scale before Netflix?
YouTube and Hulu were basically all starting about the same time. But RealPlayer was the first big one.
Netflix just had the layout that everyone uses now. The Cable networks had streaming services, just not on demand. YouTube and Hulu also pioneered the on demand layout. YouTube focused on personal experiences so maybe that’s why you’re forgetting them
YouTube started in 2005, but was not really a “streaming service”, it hosted random internet posted videos. The concept of engaging with the big content rights holders wasn’t remotely in sight back then.
Hulu came out a year after Netflix started streaming, by about a year. Hulu was inspired by Netflix’s move to have actual traditional media content as a streaming service instead of ad-hoc video uploads like youtube.
RealPlayer offered technology for websites to provide videos, they themselves I don’t recall being a streaming platform in and of itself.
Whatever one may say about Netflix, they were right there in the beginning with streaming traditional, professional media content. Yes, video playback over the internet wasn’t new, but that’s a technical detail that enables, but is not the core of the “streaming service” business model.
late to streaming, but practically the first subscription based system to watch movies/tv online.
First years of Netflix were the best, the product began degrading quite early on. but that was mostly companies realizing that instead of licensing their content on Netflix, they can make their own platforms.
I think people forget that there is also the problem of being “too early” where people or the technology isn’t ready yet. Netflix timed their entry perfectly.
There are so many defunct websites or businesses that no one has ever heard of that were precursors to modern day services we view as conveniences.
it’s not about being the first, just the first one when the technology/cost are just right.