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Why can't firefox invoke the system dll or libraries for H.264 encode/decode? Like many video players do. Why must every browser ship its own codec or even Uni

by est 5y ago

Why can't firefox invoke the system dll or libraries for H.264 encode/decode? Like many video players do. Why must every browser ship its own codec or even Unicode collection is beyond me.

shakow 5y ago
For H.264, it's a question of patents IIRC. Cisco granted a free of charge decoder, but not necessarily an encoder.
- teekert 5y ago
  Hi ow can I pay to get the encoder into my FF? Like I paid to get some en/decoding in my raspberry pi’s.
  - southerntofu 5y ago
    I personally believe Raspberry Pi made the wrong decision in using non-free hardware which required non-free firmware to operate key features such as video encoding/decoding. Why would we encourage Firefox or others to do the same and develop a business model based on patents? Especially so when these patents are owned by huge conglomerates of corporate psychopaths (hello MPEG-LA) and the software editor we're talking about (Mozilla) had to lay-off a lot of staff during the confinement by lack of funds. To be fair, Firefox is more than capable to encode/decode into free codecs and there's no reason why a third party plugin couldn't support H264 encoding as well. It falls on Apple to support proper standards for their communications platform and not on Firefox to support every piece of proprietary tech they can come up with. But well, we all know what Apple thinks of standards. With their AirPlay, iMessage, iCloud and other Apple-specific solutions. If only we had free-software, standards-compliant solutions to all these computing problems. /s
    - teekert 5y ago
      For the record, I very much agree with you.
michaelt 5y ago
Because of a long tradition of the system libraries being fucked. All this stuff started in the days of Windows XP, which shipped with such a meagre selection of codecs you couldn't even play DVDs. And the codecs you could download? Either they cost money (i.e. most users wouldn't have them), or they were dodging license costs by some questionable means, or they had bigger aspirations than just providing a mere codec (flash/realplayer/quicktime) VLC arose out of that and became popular because, by ignoring the system codecs, it could actually play the damn file.
- MaxBarraclough 5y ago
  VLC also has the advantage of being developed in France, where the legal system does not recognise software patents.
  - simondotau 5y ago
    Really! My respect for France has gone up a few notches.
    - namdnay 5y ago
      Don't get too excited, in France there's a tax on all storage devices (sd cards, usb sticks, hdds, laptops, phones etc) to help subsidise the record and film industry...
      - carlob 5y ago
        We have that in Italy too, but at least that means that ripping CDs or DVDs is entirely legal. It's actually called private copy contribution.
        nephanth 5y ago
        Yep it actually came from Germany, and was afterward adopted by a lot of european countries
      - 5y ago
LinAGKar 5y ago
I'm pretty sure it does use system libraries for decode
captainmuon 5y ago
Firefox used to be able to do this, but they don't anymore for strategic or political reasons. They don't want website authors to depend on certain codecs that some users have on their PC but some others don't. I can understand the rationale, but think it is a bit sad.
inside_out_life 5y ago
It's possible and it's compile time option, source package managers like portage allow you to do that.

by est 5y ago

Why can't firefox invoke the system dll or libraries for H.264 encode/decode? Like many video players do. Why must every browser ship its own codec or even Unicode collection is beyond me.

shakow 5y ago

For H.264, it's a question of patents IIRC. Cisco granted a free of charge decoder, but not necessarily an encoder.

teekert 5y ago
Hi ow can I pay to get the encoder into my FF? Like I paid to get some en/decoding in my raspberry pi’s.
- southerntofu 5y ago
  I personally believe Raspberry Pi made the wrong decision in using non-free hardware which required non-free firmware to operate key features such as video encoding/decoding. Why would we encourage Firefox or others to do the same and develop a business model based on patents? Especially so when these patents are owned by huge conglomerates of corporate psychopaths (hello MPEG-LA) and the software editor we're talking about (Mozilla) had to lay-off a lot of staff during the confinement by lack of funds. To be fair, Firefox is more than capable to encode/decode into free codecs and there's no reason why a third party plugin couldn't support H264 encoding as well. It falls on Apple to support proper standards for their communications platform and not on Firefox to support every piece of proprietary tech they can come up with. But well, we all know what Apple thinks of standards. With their AirPlay, iMessage, iCloud and other Apple-specific solutions. If only we had free-software, standards-compliant solutions to all these computing problems. /s
  - teekert 5y ago
    For the record, I very much agree with you.

michaelt 5y ago

Because of a long tradition of the system libraries being fucked. All this stuff started in the days of Windows XP, which shipped with such a meagre selection of codecs you couldn't even play DVDs. And the codecs you could download? Either they cost money (i.e. most users wouldn't have them), or they were dodging license costs by some questionable means, or they had bigger aspirations than just providing a mere codec (flash/realplayer/quicktime) VLC arose out of that and became popular because, by ignoring the system codecs, it could actually play the damn file.

MaxBarraclough 5y ago
VLC also has the advantage of being developed in France, where the legal system does not recognise software patents.
- simondotau 5y ago
  Really! My respect for France has gone up a few notches.
  - namdnay 5y ago
    Don't get too excited, in France there's a tax on all storage devices (sd cards, usb sticks, hdds, laptops, phones etc) to help subsidise the record and film industry...
    - carlob 5y ago
      We have that in Italy too, but at least that means that ripping CDs or DVDs is entirely legal. It's actually called private copy contribution.
      - nephanth 5y ago
        Yep it actually came from Germany, and was afterward adopted by a lot of european countries
    - 5y ago

LinAGKar 5y ago

I'm pretty sure it does use system libraries for decode

captainmuon 5y ago

Firefox used to be able to do this, but they don't anymore for strategic or political reasons. They don't want website authors to depend on certain codecs that some users have on their PC but some others don't. I can understand the rationale, but think it is a bit sad.

inside_out_life 5y ago

It's possible and it's compile time option, source package managers like portage allow you to do that.