As Apple and Adobe sparred over the inclusion of Flash in the iPhone OS, supporters of the emerging HTML5 standard -- including Apple, Google, and Microsoft -- touted the H.264 video codec specified in HTML5 as a reason that Flash is unnecessary. But H.264 is proprietary technology that requires a license for use and redistribution, which effectively means Mozilla can't adopt it for the open source Firefox browser. . So Google has come up with WebM, an open and royalty-free media format based on the VP8 video codec. Problem solved? Not exactly. After examining the software license, open source pundits have questioned whether WebM should be classified as open source software. But the larger question is why Google allowed this debate to occur in the first place and what it means for your organization when evaluating an "open source" product. The link for this article located at InfoWorld is no longer available. . Microsoft unveils a new API, prompting discussions around its compatibility issues and potential impacts on enterprise software deployment.. WebM Format, Open Source Debate, VP8 Codec, Software Licensing, Media Technology. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
Now that Google has completed its acquisition of video compression outfit On2 Technologies, a representative of the Free Software Foundation has urged Mountain View to release On2's latest codec under an irrevocable free license and use it to replace Adobe Flash on YouTube.. "With your purchase of On2, you now own both the world's largest video site (YouTube) and all the patents behind a new high performance video codec: VP8," reads a open letter to Google, posted to the Free Software Foundation (FSF) blogs. "Just think what you can achieve by releasing the VP8 codec under an irrevocable royalty-free license and pushing it out to users on YouTube? You can end the web's dependence on patent-encumbered video formats and proprietary software (Flash)." Today's YouTube still serves up video via Adobe's Flash, though Google has publicly pushed for a web-wide switch to the still gestating HTML5 video standard. All the major web browser vendors - Microsoft aside - have adopted the tag, but even among these HTML5 supporters, there's still a split over which video codec to use in tandem with the yet-to-be standard. The link for this article located at The Register UK is no longer available. . 'With your purchase of On2, you now own both the world's largest video site (YouTube) and all the pa. google, completed, acquisition, video, compression, outfit, technologies, repres. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
Get the latest Linux and open source security news straight to your inbox.