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Mozilla Considers H264 After WebM Fails To Gain Traction
HerculesMO writes with word that "Looks as though Mozilla is considering using H264, one step closer to unification of a single protocol for video encoding. It's a big deal for HTML5 traction, but it still leaves Google holding onto WebM." The article, though a bit harsh on Ogg Theora, offers an interesting look at the way standards are chosen (and adopted by the browser makers).
The justification for WebM is that it would allow people to freely share videos using your own infrastructure without charge and without additional cost.
It's not about the consequence for the consumer, it's about the chilling effect it has on free culture.
It has HUGE consequences. Mozilla knew that, that's why they tried to play hardball.
-1 Uncomfortable Truth
The article is an Apple troll.
Life's a bitch but somebody's gotta do it.
h264 is ubquitous. It's really stupid to deny the reality that people want to use it because of politics which is what it boils down to.
The aren't denying reality, they were trying to shape it.
And I'm glad they tried, even if they didn't win this time.
Ah, arrogance and stupidity, all in the same package. How efficient of you. -- Londo Mollari
TFA is not worth your time. He says all sorts of outrageous stuff as if it were fact: apparently he knows exactly what Google was collectively thinking when it introduced WebM, for example.
And the ending is sort of surreal. Hooray! The patent-encrusted H.264 has defeated the challenge by the free and open software! Here are my wrists; there's still room for a couple more handcuffs, put them on! (Eh, probably not a fair summary, but about as fair as his treatment of Google.)
steveha
lf(1): it's like ls(1) but sorts filenames by extension, tersely
If patents really define what makes software "free" or not-free, then no one would be able to chose to make a free H.264 codec.
I am not sure what you are trying to say. One can certainly write H.264 codec and distribute the source code under the GPL. But the recipient does not have the right to _use_ it unless he obtains a license. So, these implementations are not fully free and the authors cannot make them free (without offering to pay the license fees for all of the users).
My point is it's stupid to not support a codec just because of how it was invented. It's still free software.
At present no H.264 implementation _can_ be free software. If you use it for certain purposes or at a certain volume you have to give money to the MPEG consortium. You may think this is OK, but it is not "stupid" to be unhappy with this arrangement.