Re: [Gnash] Gnash Video Codecs?

[Chris Wareham]

Dave Crossland said on 9/12/06 10:45:
> Hi Guys,
>
> A blog post about how the "BBC doesn't get web video" and should start
> using Flash to stream video on the web attracted this comment:
>
> "Gnash stuff is a nonstarter… if you read their lists, they're talking
> about which other codecs they should use (that don't match the world's
> content), and whether FFMpeg might help them (Adobe staff contributed
> to FFMpeg and know it won't)"
> - John Dowdell, Macromedia, http://aralbalkan.com/795#comment-8121
>
> What's the status of these comments? :-)

Slightly tangential to Gnash, but I take deep issue with someone
suggesting the BBC should use Flash as its preferred web video
format. The BBC is funded by a license that is levied on all owners of a
television in the UK and has a charter to provide the widest access to
its programmes. To prefer a format that is limited to a few platforms
and, with all respect to the potential of the Gnash project, in the
hands of a single vendor is contrary to the charter. This is
partly why the BBC has worked on its own video format - although I
wonder where that work stands now that the Blair government has
encouraged a virtual privatisation of the BBC.

I think I'll get off my soap box and have a lie down now.

Chris