One of the big issues with web video is that there is no standard format. Instead, there are several competing formats…and each of these formats have their rights owned by commercial companies.
First there is Flash from Adobe. It is the dominant video format on the web. Next comes QuickTime, which is owned by Apple. And rounding out the list is Windows Media and Silverlight, from Microsoft.
For the average person, none of this means anything. They just upload their videos to a sharing site and that site takes care of everything for them.
But for the person who wants to be in control of their videos, who wants to put their own videos on their own site (without using a video sharing site), this is where the headaches begin.
First, they must choose one of the above video formats. Whatever format they choose, they are going to need specific code for that format to place the video on their web site. If they’re using Flash, they’ll need to come up with another separate file (the video player), so their videos can be viewed. If they want to add functionality to their video (where the user can interact with the video), that will require additional coding by a professional programmer. And finally, for the person actually watching the video, they’ll need a format-specific plugin installed on their computer (Flash player, QuickTime plugin, etc.).
It can get confusing. Very confusing. As someone who teaches people how to do all of this, I can tell you it’s the #1 thing people struggle with.
But Mozilla plans to change all of this by developing a standard format for web video. A format that doesn’t require any plugins to watch videos, doesn’t require complicated coding to add user-interaction to videos, doesn’t require baffling embed code, doesn’t require licensing fees…and…rivals or surpasses the quality of videos produced using commercial technologies.
This format would be open-source…meaning it’s freely available to everyone on the Internet. Just like nearly all code that drives the Internet these days…except video.
In fact, they’ve just giving a $100,000 grant to help make this happen.
So should Adobe, Apple and Microsoft be shaking in their boots? That’s a good question. From the outside you would think that there’s no way such a complicated technology could be made simple and put in the hands of the public for free. Especially with deep-pocketed titans like Adobe, Apple and Microsoft going against you head to head.
But remember, Mozilla is also the company that has given us Firefox. A browser that a few years ago was basically unknown…yet today is widely used and holds the record for the most downloads for an Internet application in a single day.
Two years ago when I checked my web stats, 95% of my visitors where using Internet Explorer. Today when I check stats, only 45% are. And 50% are using Firefox.
So I hope Mozilla succeeds in their quest to develop an open-source web video standard. I’m sure there will be kinks and glitches along the way…like with all video formats…but anything that makes things simple and easy for people will always win in the end. This is a concept that the big boys have yet to grasp with web video.