Short answers, pulled from the story.
The DVD format officially launched in Japan on the 1st of November 1996. This initial release featured mostly music video releases rather than the blockbuster movies that would later define the format.
Five major computer companies including IBM, Apple, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, and Microsoft issued the ultimatum on the 3rd of May 1995. They declared they would boycott both the Multimedia Compact Disc and the Super Density disc unless the warring factions agreed on a single standard.
The format's official U.S. launch date was the 24th of March 1997. This launch coincided with the 69th Academy Awards and featured approximately 32 titles including the 1996 film Twister.
A standard single-layer DVD holds 4.7 gigabytes while a dual-layer disc can store up to 8.5 gigabytes. The technology works by having the DVD hardware access the additional layer by refocusing the laser through a semitransparent first layer.
The Content Scramble System or CSS is a security measure that prevents byte-for-byte copies of an MPEG digital video stream from being playable. This system hides keys in the lead-in area of the restricted disc to ensure that copies without these keys cannot be played.
The Optical Storage Technology Association claimed lifespans ranging from 30 to 100 years for DVD, DVD-R, and DVD+R discs and up to 30 years for DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM. A research project conducted by NIST and the Library of Congress from 2005 to 2007 tested fifteen DVD products and found varied life expectancies based on storage conditions.