> I think wmf is right to point out that what the OP is talking about is a proprietary, as-yet unducmneted video codec
Is it? They haven't yet officially announced any details of that nature that I can see. Unless I missed that part?
> Surely the inevitable outcome of such things is to concentrate power, rather than decentralize it.
If it is in fact proprietary, then that is not great. But, that it shows that a downloadable codec can be comparable to a builtin one is more important than this specific codec. If they can do it, others can too.
And if their proving it is possible opens up a new industry of downloadable codecs, that run in all web browsers regardless and on all OSes, then that sounds like something good.
Because it's compared to the H.264 world where no open source browser can ship the codec. And sadly soon with EME we will have DRM in HTML that again, cannot be shipped by any open source browser. Whereas if the codec is downloadable - just another website - then both of these problems are averted.
I agree with you that we should and must consider the broader social implications. It seems to me that this product has positive potential there. But again, it is far too soon - we don't have enough technical details nor enough legal details.
Is it? They haven't yet officially announced any details of that nature that I can see. Unless I missed that part?
> Surely the inevitable outcome of such things is to concentrate power, rather than decentralize it.
If it is in fact proprietary, then that is not great. But, that it shows that a downloadable codec can be comparable to a builtin one is more important than this specific codec. If they can do it, others can too.
And if their proving it is possible opens up a new industry of downloadable codecs, that run in all web browsers regardless and on all OSes, then that sounds like something good.
Because it's compared to the H.264 world where no open source browser can ship the codec. And sadly soon with EME we will have DRM in HTML that again, cannot be shipped by any open source browser. Whereas if the codec is downloadable - just another website - then both of these problems are averted.
I agree with you that we should and must consider the broader social implications. It seems to me that this product has positive potential there. But again, it is far too soon - we don't have enough technical details nor enough legal details.