4 ms·

I don't buy the argument that it strengthens Flash. Flash and H.264 are both 90% YouTube, e.g. Google. Google can, therefore, flip a switch and turn everything

by nikster 16y ago

I don't buy the argument that it strengthens Flash. Flash and H.264 are both 90% YouTube, e.g. Google. Google can, therefore, flip a switch and turn everything to WebM. They just need broad support in place first. If Google says they will switch YouTube to WebM gradually, then all the browsers and devices will need to support it. End of story.

rimantas 16y ago
Care to elaborate, how do I solder that WebM chip into my iPhone 4?
- neworbit 16y ago
  At least it's possible to get a software update to the Youtube player on your iPhone. It's not like, say, changing a battery.
- ashearer 16y ago
  Graphics chips with built-in WebM support are slated to ship this quarter. It's not hard to imagine that the 2012 iPhone hardware will get this ability for free, even if it's only a side effect of using the same graphics chips as Android devices. Then it's just up to Apple whether to turn it on. Google appears to be laying the groundwork it can now so that the answer is more likely to be yes. This will take a few years to play out.
  - rimantas 16y ago
    You did not answer my question.
    - ashearer 16y ago
      I hope I can be forgiven for interpreting what you said as a statement, instead of as a true how-to question. My statement in reply was that this will take a few years to play out. Chrome's support doesn't make an immediate difference to you or to content publishers. Firefox doesn't support H.264 <video> either and has larger market share. So rest assured that no soldering gun is suddenly needed, and you can continue to use H.264 on your iPhone 4. Google's groundwork is supposed to come to fruition years from now, when you find an iPhone 5 or 6 already in your pocket.
      - rimantas 16y ago
        > Chrome's support doesn't make an immediate difference to > you or to content publishers. True. But FSF calls to abandon support or h.264 altogether. I don't see how that helps me.
        ashearer 16y ago
        The FSF is calling for a strategic direction that helps their ultimate goals, which you may respect and share. But if you slavishly followed their edicts, you wouldn't have an iPhone in the first place.
    - vetinari 16y ago
      You: a) may be able to persuade your vendor (Apple) to support webm in your device, b) for the time being, you are going to watch low-resolution, low-bitrate version of youtube. All higher quality streams will be webm and you can return to point a). Any further questions?

by nikster 16y ago

rimantas 16y ago

Care to elaborate, how do I solder that WebM chip into my iPhone 4?

neworbit 16y ago
At least it's possible to get a software update to the Youtube player on your iPhone. It's not like, say, changing a battery.
ashearer 16y ago
Graphics chips with built-in WebM support are slated to ship this quarter. It's not hard to imagine that the 2012 iPhone hardware will get this ability for free, even if it's only a side effect of using the same graphics chips as Android devices. Then it's just up to Apple whether to turn it on. Google appears to be laying the groundwork it can now so that the answer is more likely to be yes. This will take a few years to play out.
- rimantas 16y ago
  You did not answer my question.
  - ashearer 16y ago
    I hope I can be forgiven for interpreting what you said as a statement, instead of as a true how-to question. My statement in reply was that this will take a few years to play out. Chrome's support doesn't make an immediate difference to you or to content publishers. Firefox doesn't support H.264 <video> either and has larger market share. So rest assured that no soldering gun is suddenly needed, and you can continue to use H.264 on your iPhone 4. Google's groundwork is supposed to come to fruition years from now, when you find an iPhone 5 or 6 already in your pocket.
    - rimantas 16y ago
      > Chrome's support doesn't make an immediate difference to > you or to content publishers. True. But FSF calls to abandon support or h.264 altogether. I don't see how that helps me.
      - ashearer 16y ago
        The FSF is calling for a strategic direction that helps their ultimate goals, which you may respect and share. But if you slavishly followed their edicts, you wouldn't have an iPhone in the first place.
  - vetinari 16y ago
    You: a) may be able to persuade your vendor (Apple) to support webm in your device, b) for the time being, you are going to watch low-resolution, low-bitrate version of youtube. All higher quality streams will be webm and you can return to point a). Any further questions?