Why Blu-ray?

The author of each issue of 8-bit Memoirs is free to choose whatever target platform he wants. For issue #1 I chose to go with Blu-ray. This has proven to be difficult for some people to understand. So in this text I will explain the reasons behind this choice.

I've done a lot of projects similar to 8-bit Memoirs in the past, for various platforms, using different technologies. For example, I've created quite a few CD's with HTML/Javascript, running on a PC, and learned that the problem with this approach is the constant changes this platform goes through, resulting in the CD simply not working a decade later. Web technology is simply too alive, and that's of course not acceptable.

I imagine most people dream of a platform that will simply run forever and be available forever without needing any maintenance whatsoever - but that of course sounds like a fantasy, doesn't it?

Important goals

Let's first get the basics out of the way: The platform should be able to either run apps, or else otherwise be able to display text somehow, while also being able to embed and play music and video. And it should also be able to contain quite a lot of data, since the project ended up containing 9 hours of video and 5 hours of music. So a PDF was obviously out of the question, because it can't handle audio and video (properly). And a DVD is out too, because it can't run apps.

Let me then list the goals that are important to me:

  1. Offline viewing: I want the project to be viewable in an offline state, to boost the feeling of disconnecting for a while. Just like spending time with a diskmag in the good old days.
  2. Stable / Maintenance-free: The platform shouldn't need constant maintenance to make sure it runs properly. Once done, I want it to stay working without needing to keep track of whether it still works or not every now and then.
  3. No monthly cost: I don't want a platform that requires me to pay a monthly fee in order to keep the project alive.
  4. 50hz compatible display: All videos in issue #1 consists of 50 fps, so I want a platform with a display that offers a refresh rate to match those 50 fps. This doesn't happen on most PC monitors for example, because they are almost always 60hz, and that results in a jerky movement for scrolltexts and characters.
  5. Durable media: Whatever media the project is stored on, has to be something very durable and sturdy, lasting at least 50 years without problems.
  6. Multiplatform support: Ideally, it must be able to run on as many different platforms as possible.
  7. Manual text browsing: Obviously the platform should offer a way to manually switch pages in the stories, and also allow other options like changing fontsize and themes.
  8. Capacity for lots of audio and video: The videos and music is a big part of the project - so it has to be possible to include these.
  9. Easy for people to copy: The project is free. And I want it to be easy for people to make copies long after any online (landing)site has been taken offline.

Those are the goals that are important to me.

Platform considerations

Then it was a simple matter listing a few options for target platforms, and then check how each of them matched my goals.

A website

No doubt most people wouldn't even consider other platforms for a project like this nowadays. A website can be accessed from almost anywhere. But let's run it through my wishlist.

  1. Offline viewing: Yes, this is actually possible with HTML5. You just have to download it once. After this one-time download, it can infact run it offline.
  2. Stable / Maintenance-free: Far from it. Web technology is one of the fastest changing technologies. There's a high probability that whatever you create today, will slowly lose more and more functionality and looks. A decade later it probably won't work at all anymore.
  3. No monthly cost: To my knowledge, a website of this complexity (dismag-like look and feel) couldn't be hosted for free anywhere.
  4. 50hz compatible display: Not possible. A PC and phone and tablet typically has a display refresh rate of 60hz or 120hz. This can't be changed with web technology.
  5. Durable media: I suppose you can call the media durable, since it resides with a webhost that typically makes backups.
  6. Multiplatform support: Absolutely. Web is viewable almost anywhere, from different computers to phones and tablets. Even gaming consoles have a built-in browser.
  7. Manual text browsing: Yes.
  8. Capacity for lots of audio and video: Yes.
  9. Easy for people to copy: No. Once a website is dead, it's gone. People don't copy websites.

So a website is only a 55% match to my goals. That's way too low. But what if I put it on a CD instead of having it online? Well, then I could eliminate the monthly hosting fee from the list, and still only get a 66% match, which is still too low. Let's keep looking.




An eBook (ePub3)

An ePub3 file is also made with web technology, but intended to be distributed as a package and viewed offline. I also imagine it's a bit more stable than an online website.

  1. Offline viewing: Yes, an ePub3 file is downloaded, and viewed offline afterwards.
  2. Stable / Maintenance-free: Yes, at least I assume that an ePub3 should keep running without problems, despite web technology changing. Otherwise people would suddenly have problems reading their purchased books.
  3. No monthly cost: Once made available on one of the many eBook sites, I wouldn't have to pay any monthly expenses to keep it there.
  4. 50hz compatible display: Not possible. A PC and phone and tablet typically has a display refresh rate of 60hz or 120hz.
  5. Durable media: Again, I suppose you can call the media durable, since it resides with a host that typically makes backups.
  6. Multiplatform support: Yes, there are eBook readers available for lots and lots of platforms, and they (almost) all support the ePub3 format.
  7. Manual text browsing: Yes.
  8. Capacity for lots of audio and video: Sadly no, and that's a pretty important one.
  9. Easy for people to copy: Yes! Because an ePub3 file can be downloaded an stored, and thus easily sent to other people.

So this looks like a 77% match. Not bad, except number 8 is pretty important. If I ever decide to make a light version of my issue without videos and audio, ePub3 seems like a good choice.




A native cellphone app

Ok, let's take a look at a native cellphone app then.

  1. Offline viewing: Yes, once installed it can be viewed offline.
  2. Stable / Maintenance-free: Having created a few Android apps in my time, I know that Android is alive just like web. Not nearly as much as web, but still: I can't be sure that my app will run on future Android versions.
  3. No monthly cost: Yes.
  4. 50hz compatible display: No, phone and tablet displays are 60hz or 120hz.
  5. Durable media: Initially this was actually marked as "Yes", but I had to change that after discovering that Google had deleted our account and all of our apps recently, without warning and without notice. So no, Google's app store is not a durable media.
  6. Multiplatform support: Assuming that I code it using a multiplatform framework.
  7. Manual text browsing: Yes.
  8. Capacity for lots of audio and video: Although some apps can be hundreds of mb, it wouldn't be enough for this.
  9. Easy for people to copy: An app can be downloaded and stored - although some phones require it to be on the official app store.

A 61% match, again missing number 8 which is pretty important. But maybe for a light version without videos and audio some day.




A Desktop Java application

There's also the option of creating an application to run on a PC. This of course has to be a Java application then, in order for it to run on multiple platforms.

  1. Offline viewing: Yes, once downloaded, it'll run offline.
  2. Stable / Maintenance-free: Well kinda. While Java is definitely more stable than any website, we can't deny that Java is also alive.
  3. No monthly cost: Yes.
  4. 50hz compatible display: No. A PC display is typically 60hz, and while there are ways for Java to actually change this, most PC monitors simply do not offer a 50hz option.
  5. Durable media: That's really up to the user, but sure, let's just say yes.
  6. Multiplatform support: Almost. Java runs on a lot of platforms. Windows, Linux and Mac. But you can't run a Java app on cellphones or tablets, and not on gaming consoles either.
  7. Manual text browsing: Yes.
  8. Capacity for lots of audio and video: Although it would technically be possible for users to download videos and music as an optional package, and install in the same directory, I don't see it happening.
  9. Easy for people to copy: Yes, a JAR file can be downloaded and stored, and thus sent to other people.

Another 72% match.




A Blu-ray Disc / ISO

  1. Offline viewing: Yes, once you've downloaded the ISO, it can be viewed offline.
  2. Stable / Maintenance-free: Yes.
  3. No monthly cost: Yes.
  4. 50hz compatible display: Yes. A Blu-ray player is typically connected to a TV, and TV's will change their refresh rate according to the video framerate.
  5. Durable media: The Blu-ray disc is one of the most durable medias we have.
  6. Multiplatform support: Very much. There are software media players available for both Windows, Linux and Mac. Modern gaming consoles like PS3 and XB1 also feature a Blu-ray player. And of course let's not forget standard Blu-ray players and the many different TV boxes with Blu-ray support. In fact, only phones and tablets are left out - for now. (Probably won't be long before you can stream a Blu-ray ISO to the phone/tablet anyway).
  7. Manual text browsing: Yes, because Blu-ray players can run Java Xlets, so I can just code my own diskmag-like engine.
  8. Capacity for lots of audio and video: Yes, a single-layered disc has room for 25 gb.
  9. Easy for people to copy: Yes. An ISO file is easy to download and copy.

A 100% match! Who would've thought?

Of course, by choosing this platform I would exclude everyone who insists on using their phone or tablet. And I honestly don't mean any disrespect here, but: I simply didn't make the project for that group of people.




And the winner is Blu-ray

Blu-ray is the clear winner, surprisingly meeting all my wishes. So there you have it.