video

In a recent message that has come as a shock to many, Microsoft endorsed the use of <video> and <audio> tags. Adrian Bateman, the Program Manager for Internet Explorer, posted about this a few weeks ago.

The new HTML5 specification includes these <video> and <audio> tags to allow for both video and audio to be played from the browser without the use of a plugin, like Flash or QuickTime.  This allows for open, royalty-free codecs like Ogg Theora to be widely utilized. It also frees video and audio from its current, largely proprietary grasp, which reduces the legal and technological costs of entry, allowing for more participatory media. Many new browsers support these HTML5 elements, such as Firefox 3.5, Safari 4, Chrome, and Opera 10. Internet Explorer, which holds the largest market share for browsers, was conspicuously missing from this list. By announcing its support, IE has potentially allowed for a much larger base upon which this new HTML5 framework can be built—though what will actually happen remains to be seen.

Source: Open Video Alliance

Telematics Freedom Foundation will be present at the Open Video Conference, in New York City, June 19-20, promoted by the Open Video Alliance. Don't know what the Open Video Alliance is? Take a look at the Promo Video:

The Universal Audiovisual Library (AVU – Audiovideoteca Universale or simply the “Library”) aims to realize the widest European Digital Archive of audio and video contents, with a specific emphasis towards Italian and English material available in public domain or subject to copyright but released either publicly or to the Library under free and copyleft licenses: contents which can be freely seen, shared and reused, even in their integral form, at least for non-profit use.

Proprietary contents with heavy potential for reuse and remix, within the scope of the "right to report" will be considered exceptions, together with "degraded" versions of proprietary contents granted under free and copyleft licenses, which are at least a good ADSL "web" quality.

A web portal with strong functions for collaboration, sharing and  socialization, and public spaces will produce a dynamic community of audio&video micro production centered on search, editing and remixing, composed by small and medium producers, youths, students, researchers, journalists, and private citizens.

The main Library's activities will center upon the acquisition, safekeeping, conversion, indexing, diffusion and promotion of contents with most cultural, social, and political value, to promote its dissemination and reuse through new digital channels. It will give public and free access to such contents in read, acquisition, contribution and reuse modes, through the following channels:

• Internal Gigalan (100 times faster than DSL) in the Audiovisual Telematic Park, with 400sq.m of consultation and media editing spaces available, and in all companies located therein;
• Web portal with content streaming and download features, through a high usability web interface;
• Legal peer-2-peer networks managed by partners or third-parties;
• Distribution partnerships with: ISP's, private and public sphere web portals, IPTV providers, digital video libraries (swapping), Set-Top Boxes providers.

The final aim is to create a wide and energetic community - both local and web-based - of students, young amateurs, small and medium remix producers, around the Library as a resource for inspiration, research, and reuse of contents as a flywheel for the productive creativity.

My email to Chris Pirillo informing about the paper release was read, and here is what Chris has to say about it.

Chris, the 1.1 revision is out, downloads are here.